‘Outrageous’ charges against Marlboro, NJ teacher are baseless, attorney says

🍎 Parents publicly claim teacher molested their daughter

🍎 Teacher's attorney calls the accusations outrageous and defamatory

🍎 Law enforcement did not charge teacher with a serious offense

MARLBORO — The attorney for a teacher charged with inappropriately touching a student claims she has been falsely accused of sexually assaulting a middle school student.

Jenna Sciabica was charged on Friday with harassment for an incident on March 13 involving a female student at Marlboro Memorial Middle School. The teacher touched another student over her clothing, according to Marlboro Police Capt. Stephen Levy.

Days earlier, the student's parents had gone before the Marlboro school board to say that Sciabica had molested their daughter. The family and their attorney claim another teacher saw the incident that was captured on video.

But Sciabica's attorney, Mitchell Ansell, said Monday that the incident has been misconstrued and the accusations against her are "outrageous and defamatory."

Accusations are "outrageous and defamatory"

"There was absolutely nothing illegal, improper or immoral about the interaction between Jenna and this student on March 13," Ansell said.

He said that Sciabica and her family have been targeted by bomb and death threats.

The Marlboro school district also received bomb threats on Thursday and Friday. Police cleared all the school buildings and found the threats were not credible.

READ MORE: Marlboro, NJ schools get another threat, start of classes delayed

Ansell did not elaborate on what happened between the student and Sciabica, who resigned last month. The attorney said that she would plead not guilty and that she would be "completely exonerated."

Because the charge against Sciabica is a disorderly persons offense, or a low-level misdemeanor, her case will be heard in Municipal Court.

READ MORE: Marlboro, NJ teacher charged with disorderly persons offense

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