Special education teacher charged with raping 13-year-old tutoring student – Law Officer

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, N.Y. A special education teacher in New York is charged with raping a 13-year-old student whom she was tutoring outside of school, according to law enforcement authorities.

An arrest warrant charging one count of second-degree rape was issued for Kristin M. Bellinger. The 39-year-old woman was accompanied by her attorney when she surrendered on Monday to the Class D felony, according to a press release by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Law&Crime reported.

The minor student first reported the alleged sexual interactions with Bellinger to administrators at HFM BOCES. After receiving details of the illicit contact, administrators acted “immediately” to address the issue by contacting law enforcement authorities, the student’s family, and the New York State Department of Education, Dr. David Ziskin, the District Superintendent at HFM BOCES, told The Daily Gazette. 

“This arrest stems from a lengthy investigation into a complaint that Bellinger engaged in sexual intercourse with a thirteen-year-old male over a period of time in 2019,” MCSO’s press release said. “At the time of the incident, it was alleged that Bellinger was providing private in-home tutoring to the juvenile, outside from her then role as a special education teacher with the Hamilton Fulton Montgomery BOCES District.”

Bellinger was immediately placed on leave after the victim came forward and is no longer employed by the district, Dr. Ziskin said.