A 21-year-old woman who recently worked at a school in Haight, Alta., has been charged with several sex crimes, and police believe there may be more victims yet to be reported.
On Oct. 12, Beaverlodge RCMP launched an investigation into a report that an educational assistant at Hythe Regional School was distributing sexually explicit photos.
Madison Peterson, who lives in Grande Prairie County, was arrested Saturday.
Police said “more than one victim” had been identified, but a spokesman declined to give an exact number or say how old they were.
“At the time of the crimes, Peterson was briefly employed as an educational assistant at Hythe Regional School of the Peace Wapiti School Board,” Cpl. Troy Savinkoff writes in a news release.
“Beaverlodge RCMP believe there may be additional victims and are encouraging those individuals to come forward.”
Peterson faces charges of:
- Sexual violence
- Sexual interference
- Providing sexually explicit material to a child
- Enticing a child
- An invitation to sexual touch
- Get in the way of a police officer
Hythe Regional School educates children from Kindergarten to Grade 9 and is part of the Peace Wapiti Public School Division (PWPSD).
“Although the incidents did not occur at the school, as soon as the department became aware that Ms. Peterson had allegedly engaged in inappropriate behavior toward his students, the principal of the school called and reported concerns to the RCMP,” spokeswoman Kayla Clava wrote in a statement.
Clava said Peterson was fired immediately.
“Because this situation involved a risk to student safety, the parents of the affected students have been informed of the situation and the support available to PWPSD students and their families,” Clava added.
She was released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in Grand Prairie Provincial Court on Feb. 6.
The victims in this case and anyone else with information is asked to call Beaverlodge RCMP at 780-345-2485 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS.)
Hythe is located about 500 kilometers northwest of Edmonton.
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