ST. HELENS, Ore. — St. Helens police are investigating new allegations of "offensive physical contact" between a middle school teacher and several students, Acting Police Chief Joseph Hogue said on Friday. The allegations stretch back into last school year and will require forensic interviews at child abuse assessment centers due to the victims' ages, Hogue said.
The investigation emerges amid a broader abuse scandal that has rocked the St. Helens School District. Last week, police arrested choir teacher Eric Stearns and retired math teacher Mark Collins on sexual abuse charges, sparking student walkouts and community outrage.
Two additional district employees are under state investigation for sexual abuse, though KGW is not naming them because they have not been charged with a crime. Hogue said police haven't been made aware of any criminal activity against them.
"We investigate crimes, and if we get notified that there's been a crime or criminal behavior, of course, then we get involved," acting St. Helens police chief Joseph Hogue said. "A personnel investigation or an investigation done by DHS could in fact show that. If that happens, then we would be involved from a criminal standpoint at that point."
St. Helens police began investigating Stearns after a Tik Tok video creator posted a video about his experience with a former coach. In the comment section of that video, several comments pointed a finger at Stearns as well as Collins. Doug Weaver, the Tik Tok creator also shared concerning messages with police that his viewers had sent him. St. Helens police told the district they were investigating both teachers in mid-October, when they subpoenaed their personnel files. Stearns remained at the high school teaching up until he was arrested.
Hogue confirmed that additional alleged victims have come forward since the arrests of Collins and Stearns, though no new charges have been filed.
In the days following news of the arrests, the school board chair stepped down, and the school board placed superintendent Scot Stockwell and St. Helens High School principal Dr. Katy Wagner on administrative leave. Both Stockwell and Wagner also face state investigations for allegedly failing to report child abuse.
Regarding the new middle school investigation, Hogue did say it involved touching, but didn't elaborate and when asked if the touching was sexual, he did not clarify, only saying, "I didn't say that."
"The difference between the case now and the case we spoke about last week is the age of the victims," Hogue added. "These are middle school-age kids, so the interview process is a lot different for these kids. They need to be given forensic interviews at child abuse assessment centers, which, of course, need to be scheduled in advance with parents and things like that."
The investigation remains ongoing, and it's unclear whether charges will be filed.