- Kelly-Anne Jennings was arraigned Wednesday and faces 18 counts of child sex offenses
- Parents were shocked and described the 40-year-old as someone ‘everyone loved’
A 40-year-old female teacher at a Catholic school in Canada, described as “someone everyone loves,” has been charged with more than a dozen child sex offences.
Kelly-Anne Jennings was charged Wednesday with sexual assault, sexual harassment, child enticement and possession of child pornography. She had been arrested on similar charges weeks earlier.
Police began investigating Jennings last month after a student at St. Anthony Catholic Elementary School tracked her down.
When speaking to authorities, they said the victim was a student of Jennings.
Jennings was arrested on August 29 and charged with sexual abuse and sexual harassment.
Kelly-Anne Jennings, 40, was charged Wednesday with sexual abuse, sexual interference, child enticement and possession of child pornography, after being arrested weeks earlier on similar charges.
Police began investigating Jennings last month after a student at St. Anthony Catholic Elementary School tracked her down
Her arrest prompted at least three other victims to come forward, local police said, and a search warrant was eventually issued.
Jennings was arrested again on September 4 at her Ontario home and charged with 16 additional counts relating to similar allegations against the students, who were identified only as former students.
Parents of current students cannot suppress their disbelief now that the arrests have become public.
They described Jennings as a great teacher who was widely loved in the community before the child abuse allegations surfaced.
“You never know. She was a teacher that everyone loved,” an anonymous parent told Metroland.
“It’s a shocking and stark reminder that anyone can be a predator, and it can be someone everyone knows and trusts.”
“It’s a sad reality, but we need to keep the conversation open with our kids and keep an eye on their devices.”
Jennings, who taught at the school part-time in 2008 and took a full-time position in 2016, was placed on administrative leave.
Parents of current students at St. Anthony’s are in disbelief after the arrests became public. They described Jennings as a great teacher who was well-liked in the community before the child sex allegations came out.
“We take all allegations of staff misconduct very seriously and the school board has fully cooperated with law enforcement during the investigation,” the school board said in a statement.
“We know these types of situations can be stressful and we want to reassure families that additional mental health support is available.”
Jennings has since been released after her husband posted $10,000 bail.