YORK, Pa. — A York woman has been charged with engaging in a sexual relationship with a student while working as a teacher's aide at William Penn High School.
Melissa Juarez-Castro, 24, is charged with a third-degree felony count of School - Intercourse/Sexual Contact With a Student, according to York City Police.
Authorities claim Juarez-Castro was working as a Bilinual Teacher's Aide when she began a relationship with an 18-year-old student outside the school. The investigation began in April 2023, when the police department received a Child Line tip reporting a suspected sexual assault.
The student told police Juarez-Castro was his translator in chemistry class. He said she began pursuing a relationship with him outside of school by asking for his social media screen names. Soon after, they began communicating on Instagram, and later met at a York City park in October 2023, where they began a romantic relationship that soon turned sexual.
The relationship ended in April 2024, the student reported.
Investigators executed search warrants to obtain the Instagram screen names of Juarez-Castro and the victim, and uncovered messages indicating the two were in a relationship. Police also found and downloaded two videos of Juarez-Castro and the student kissing, according to the criminal complaint.
