Female 2nd Grade Teacher arrested for sex with female minor

Jersey City NJ — A married 32 year old 2nd grade teacher has been arrested for having sex with a 15 year old girl. Lauren Mitchell taught the 2nd grade at the Dr. Lena Edwards Academic Charter School in Jersey City. She was charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child and was being held on $150,000 bail.

Mitchell was seen having an “inappropriate” interactions with the unidentified 15 year old female during a recent class trip. The school contacted the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office who then contacted the Bergen County law enforcement. Investigators believe that Mitchell had at least one encounter at the Mitchells’ home. Michtell allegedly performed oral sex on her 15 year old victim.

This is starting to happen at an alarming rate. We first noticed this in 2014 when more and more stories invoking teachers having sex with students began surfacing. We are now going to keep track of this as of 6/23/2015 under the tag “teachers abusing children”.

The release by the prosecutors office can be read below.

TO: ALL NEWS MEDIA
FROM: PROSECUTOR JOHN L. MOLINELLI

Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli announced the arrest of LAUREN H. MITCHELL (DOB: 12/28/1982) of 525 Sixth Avenue, Lyndhurst, New Jersey on charges of Aggravated Sexual Assault and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit under the direction of Chief Carmen MARTINO and the Lyndhurst Police Department under the direction of Chief James B. O’CONNOR.

On June 19, 2015, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and the Lyndhurst Police Department arrested Lauren H. MITCHELL after learning that she engaged in inappropriate sexual activity on at least one (1) occasion with a fifteen (15) year old female student who attends the Dr. Lena Edwards Academic Charter School in Jersey City where Ms. MITCHELL is employed as a second grade teacher. The inappropriate sexual activity is believed to have occurred at Ms. MITCHELL’S residence in Lyndhurst. Several teachers at the Dr. Lena Edwards Academic Charter School observed what they believed was inappropriate interactions between the victim and Ms. MITCHELL on a class trip and reported their observations to school authorities. The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and the ensuing investigation resulted in the arrest of Ms. MITCHELL.

Lauren H. MITCHELL was charged with one (1) count of Aggravated Sexual Assault and one (1) count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Bail for Ms. MITCHELL was set by the Honorable James J. Guida, J.S.C., at $150,000.00 with no ten percent option, no contact with the victim and the surrender of her passport as a condition of bail. Ms. MITCHELL was remanded to the Bergen County Jail in lieu of bail.

Prosecutor Molinelli states that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and would also like to thank the Lyndhurst Police Department and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance in this investigation.

BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE
CHARGE INFORMATION FORM

DEFENDANT: LAUREN H. MITCHELL DOB: 12/28/1982

LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: 525 SIXTH AVENUE, LYNDHURST, NJ

MARITAL STATUS: MARRIED

OCCUPATION: TEACHER

ARREST INFORMATION

DATE OF ARREST: 06/19/2015

PLACE OF ARREST/TOWN: BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

AGENCIES EFFECTING ARREST: BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE, SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
LYNDHURST POLICE DEPARTMENT

CHARGE AND STATUTE CITATIONS

ONE (1) COUNT OF AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT IN VIOLATION OF N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2A(2)(B)-1ST DEGREE CRIME

ONE (1) COUNT OF ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD IN VIOLATION OF N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4A(1)-2ND DEGREE CRIME