A guidance counselor is accused of sexually assaulting a middle school student.
Kelly Ann Schutte, 35, of Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, is charged with institutional sexual assault, corruption of minors and indecent assault of a person less than 16 years of age.
The investigation began on July 18, 2023, when a woman contacted the Upper Perk Police Department in Pennsburg. The woman said her 14-year-old son had told her he was involved in a romantic and sexual relationship with Schutte, who worked as a guidance counselor at Pennridge South Middle School.
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The teen had called his parents the night of July 17 in a panic and said he needed to be picked up from Schutte’s home, according to the criminal complaint. The boy’s parents drove to the area and found their son hiding behind a parked vehicle, police said. The boy said one of Schutte’s family members spotted him and Schutte kissing inside her home. The family member then angrily entered the home and told the boy to get out, according to investigators. The teen said he was frightened and ran from the house, hiding on a nearby street where he called his parents and then told them about his relationship with Schutte, police said.
During an interview with police on July 19, the teen said he had been talking with Schutte regularly during the fall of 2022 after a class trip in which they sat together on a school bus. The boy said he regularly got called to Schutte’s office throughout the rest of the school year and missed class at times. The boy said he and Schutte repeatedly had sexual contact in both Bucks and Montgomery counties in June and July of 2023.
The boy also said he and Schutte communicated through the school district’s messaging app “Canvas” as well as the social media app Snapchat.
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While searching through the boy’s cellphone, police found messages between him and Schutte as well as pictures of them together at her home in Pennsburg, according to the criminal complaint. Investigators also said they obtained messages between Schutte and the boy on Canvas as well as handwritten notes that confirmed the teen’s statements.
Police said they obtained surveillance footage showing Schutte and the teen visiting a supermarket together in Pennsburg where she bought a bottle of wine.
Police also said Schutte sexually assaulted the teen at his home in Bucks County while his family was away in mid-June. Investigators said they also found Schutte’s earring inside the home.
Charges were filed against Schutte on Thursday following the investigation. In a letter to the school community, Pennridge School District Superintendent Angelo Berrios III said the district was aware of the allegations against Schutte in July and immediately placed her on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Schutte is currently restricted from entering school district premises or having any contact with Pennridge School District students and staff. Berrios also said the district is cooperating with the District Attorney’s Office.
Schutte was arraigned Friday and posted $25,000 unsecured bail. NBC10 reached out to Schutte's attorney who had no comment.
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