A 14-year-old boy accused of sexual assault by a middle school counselor at home following the departure of parents and sister
Kelly Schutte. PHOTO: MONTGOMERY COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
A middle school guidance counselor in Pennsylvania, Kelly Ann Schutte, aged 35 and residing in Pennridge, is facing serious allegations of se*xually assaulting a 14-year-old student. The court docket indicates that Schutte is charged with three counts of institutional se*xual assault, three counts of indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old, and one count of corruption of minors.
The alleged incidents occurred during Schutte’s tenure as a guidance counselor at Pennridge South Middle School in Bucks County, as detailed in the criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE. According to the complaint, she is accused of assaulting the student at her residence and in the student’s own bedroom in June, during a day when the student’s parents and sister were away.
Furthermore, the criminal complaint asserts that Schutte allegedly se*xually assaulted the student in her SUV on July 17 while driving from Weis Supermarket in Pennsburg Borough. The complaint claims that surveillance footage shows the two entering Schutte’s vehicle, which was parked in a secluded area for about seven minutes before departing, the Bucks County Herald reports.
Schutte turned herself in on Thursday night and was arraigned on Friday morning, as confirmed by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office. She was released on $25,000 unsecured bail, with conditions requiring her to avoid any contact with the teen, the teen’s family, and any Pennridge School District facilities.
The alleged abuse came to light when the teen’s mother contacted the Upper Perk Police Department on July 18, expressing concern that her son had been “kissed and touched inappropriately by his middle school guidance counselor,” as stated in the complaint. The boy reportedly informed his parents of the romantic and se*xual relationship with Schutte.
The student’s parents discovered the alleged abuse when the teen called them in distress, leading to their arrival at Schutte’s home where they found the student hiding behind a parked car. The complaint details that the teen informed his parents that a family member of Schutte had witnessed them kissing inside her house, leading to an altercation.
The investigation revealed that the relationship between Schutte and the student began in the fall of 2022 and progressed to se*xual abuse in June 2023. Police reportedly found messages, pictures, and physical evidence in the teen’s home related to the alleged abuse. The Pennridge School District has placed Schutte on administrative leave, emphasizing their commitment to cooperating with the District Attorney’s Office.
Schutte is scheduled to return to court on November 20 for a preliminary hearing. Requests for comments from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office and Schutte’s attorney were not immediately responded to.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
