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FRACKVILLE, Pa. (AP) — A former teacher charged Friday with having sex with a 13-year-old student left a note in her sixth-grade classroom that said, in part, "I need help — a lot of help," according to police.
Melinda Trezise, 39, of Cressona, was charged with statutory sexual assault, institutional sexual assault and related offenses after the accuser — Trezise's former student — told police the two had sex more than a dozen times in the master bedroom of her home.
The assaults took place between February and April, police said.
Trezise's attorney said she will fight the charges.
"She denies any wrongdoing with this young man in regard to the charges and we plan to mount a vigorous defense in this matter," Joe Nahas said.
Trezise, who is married with three young children, turned herself in on Friday and was released after posting $5,000 cash bail. Accompanied by her husband, she said nothing as she left a magistrate's office.
The alleged relationship came to light on April 15, when Trezise was involved in a minor car accident near North Schuylkill Elementary, where she taught. A school police officer responded to the accident and learned that a boy had gotten out of the car and fled the scene. The boy was interviewed by school officials and said he'd been involved in an "inappropriate relationship" with Trezise, court documents said.
Another teacher then found a letter in Trezise's classroom that said, "If anything should happen to Melinda A. Trezise — please read," according to an affidavit of probable cause.
The letter went on to say, "I love my daughters more than life itself. I love my husband and I love my family . My mistakes have been many since December. I need help — a lot of help. I'm seeing how broken I am and I need help," according to the affidavit.
The boy was interviewed at a children's advocacy center in April and told authorities that Trezise had kissed him and rubbed his genitals over his clothing, court documents said. Police interviewed him a second time — earlier this week at the county courthouse — and this time he said he'd had sex with Trezise at least 14 times, an affidavit said.
Nahas said he found it "troubling" that the teenager so dramatically changed his story from one interview to the next. Nahas pointed to a search warrant that said police had "interrogated" the accuser in the second interview.
Trezise resigned her teaching post in April.
North Schuylkill School District officials could not be reached after business hours Friday.
Early in the investigation, the district told parents that "immediate action" had been taken to ensure student safety, and that counseling would be provided to students who needed it.
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