Principal Suspended Amid Strip-Search Claim
Police To Turn Over Info To Prosecutor's Office
POSTED: Monday, October 6, 2008
UPDATED: 11:02 am EDT October 8,
2008
MONROE, Mich. -- Monroe police have interviewed three seventh-grade girls who claim they were strip-searched by a female teacher looking for missing cash.
Deputy Police Chief Thomas Moore said more interviews are expected Wednesday, and investigators hope to turn over information to the county prosecutor by the end of the week.
Moore said three parents came forward to complain that the female students were forced to disrobe down to their underwear at Trinity Lutheran School, about 35 miles southwest of Detroit.
"Some were taken down to their bra and panties and some had to pull their tops out and shake them," said mother Martha Feller.
Trinity Lutheran Church senior Pastor Stanley AuBuchon has said the incident took place Oct. 1 and that the school also is looking into what happened.
"They treat criminals like that, not 12-year-old innocent children," said Feller.
The day after the incident, the school's principal, John Hilken, issued a letter admitting to parents that he acted in bad judgment, and should not have subjected the girls to this type of search.
AuBuchon said the school's principal has been placed on two-week administrative leave.
Feller's daughter said she feels humiliated and hasn't returned to class since the incident occurred.
"I hope that they will take them out of that school and make them pay for what they did to the children," said Feller.
Copyright 2009 by ClickOnDetroit.com.
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