WATCH ABOVE: A Catholic school teacher has been charged with numerous sexual offences. As Shallima Maharaj reports, the alleged victim is a female student.
EDMONTON – A 32-year-old teacher with the Elk Island Catholic School Division has been charged with sexual offences relating to a teenage female student.
On Wednesday, Brett Mittelsteadt of Strathcona County was charged with:
- sexual interference
- sexual exploitation
- invitation to sexual touching
- child luring
- committing a sexual offence against a child
- sexual assault
The offences allegedly happened between March 2013 and September 2014. Strathcona County RCMP say they didn’t receive the complaint until Feb. 2, 2015. A teacher contacted them after receiving information from the student.
Mittelsteadt was teaching at Holy Redemeer Catholic School, an elementary-junior high in Ardrossan. He has been with the Elk Island Catholic School Division since 2004 and also coached basketball.
According to a statement from the school division, the teacher has been suspended from his duties “effective immediately and no longer has access to any students.”
“It’s gutwrenching,” said the division’s superintendent, Michael Hauptman.
“We’re so used to turning to God in celebration. Now we need support.”
The victim and her family have been offered support from the Strathcona County Victim Services Unit.
The teacher, meanwhile, has been released from custody on several conditions, including: no contact with the victim or her family, not using a cell phone or being alone with anyone under 18, and not attending the school.
He is scheduled to appear in Sherwood Park Provincial Court March 11.
Global Edmonton contacted Mittelsteadt, who told us he has “no comment.”
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