Charges dropped against educators in Plymouth sex abuse case, at least one teacher to return to classroom – Hartford Courant

Criminal charges against current and former educators in Plymouth that stemmed from their alleged failure to report the sexual abuse of children by a male teacher have been dropped, according to the school district.

Plymouth School District Superintendent Brian Falcone confirmed Thursday that the charges against four employees — two of whom have retired — were dismissed. Falcone said in a statement sent to families that one of the educators would return to the classroom at Plymouth Center School, while the other will remain on administrative leave until further notice.

The superintendent declined to comment on which educator would remain on leave and which would return to work but said in his statement to families that the school district has fully cooperated with investigations by the Department of Children and Families and the Plymouth Police Department.

“We would not return a teacher to the classroom if we had any reservations that it would compromise the safety of our children,” he said.

Retired Plymouth Center School Principal Crystal Collins, former Plymouth Center School principal Sherri Turner, math interventionist-turned-interim principal Rebecca Holleran and math interventionist Melissa Morelli had each been charged in 2022 with failing to report abuse, neglect or injury of a child or imminent risk of serious harm to a child.

Warrants for their arrests detailed multiple accounts of elementary school students reporting to Collins, Turner, Holleran and Morelli that they had been inappropriately touched or made to feel uncomfortable by former teacher James Eschert. Plymouth Public School employees are required to report allegations of abuse or neglect of children to the Department of Children and Families for investigation.

[ Criminal charges and civil suit suggest pattern of unreported abuse in Plymouth school ]

Eschert, a former second-, third- and fourth-grade teacher, still has a pending case in criminal court. He is charged with five counts of risk of injury to a minor and two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, records show.

According to warrants and police records, Eschert is accused of allegedly abusing at least 13 girls who were 9 and 10 years old at the time. Students reported instances of him allegedly touching girls inappropriately, taking inappropriate photos, encouraging girls to sit on his lap and having them play under his desk while he sat there and blocked them from getting out, according to his arrest report and a civil lawsuit filed by a former student in June of last year.

The civil lawsuit, which also names Collins, says that Eschert “would openly fondle and caress students at Plymouth Center School, placing his hands inside their clothing,” behavior that was allegedly witnessed by staff and students at the school but was not reported until September 2021.

The suit claims that as then-principal, “Collins knew or should have known that the defendant Eschert was being physically inappropriate and socially inappropriate with children at Plymouth Center School including touching them inappropriately.”

Falcone said in a letter to families dated Feb. 1 that the charges were dismissed “through operation of the court process.” The state Division of Criminal Justice did not immediately return requests for comment on the dismissal.

Prior to her arrest, Morelli, of Plymouth, worked for the school district as a math interventionist from June 2005 until April 12, 2022, when she was placed on leave, according to Falcone.

Holleran, of Bristol, was hired by the district on March 24, 2000, as a math interventionist for students in pre-kindergarten through second grade. She was the interim principal at Plymouth Center School while Turner filled in as the interim superintendent for the 2020-21 school year, according to Falcone. She was placed on administrative leave with pay on Nov. 5, 2021.

Turner, of Farmington, was the principal of Plymouth Center School from July 2019 through June 2020, when she took over as the interim superintendent for the 2020-21 school year. She returned as the school’s principal for the 2021-22 school year but was placed on administrative leave on Nov. 5, 2021.

Collins was the principal of Plymouth Center School from July 2003 through her retirement in June 2019, according to Falcone.

Falcone said in his letter this week that “the conduct of each of these individuals has been reviewed thoroughly and carefully.”

“As a school district, the safety and well-being of our students will always be our top priority and we reaffirm our commitment moving forward to act in their best interest, as you entrust us to educate them safely and protect them from harm,” Falcone said.

The school district has also brought in specialized instructors to provide individualized training on mandated reporting, according to Falcone.

Eschert is scheduled to appear in court next in New Britain on March 7 court records show.