Former Nottingham Elementary School teacher accused of sexually abusing student in 3rd, 4th grade

OXFORD, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A Chester County, Pennsylvania teacher is facing charges for the alleged sexual abuse of a student.

Authorities have arrested Luis Morales, 56, of West Chester, for allegedly sexually abusing a Nottingham Elementary School student while she was in the third and fourth grade. The alleged incidents happened between 2014 and 2016.

In June 2021, the 14-year-old victim reported the abuse to authorities. The child told Oxford Borough Police that Morales, who was her ESL teacher at the time, asked her to stay after school and that he touched her chest and genitals on multiple occasions.

The abuse stopped in 2016 when the student graduated from the 4th grade.

"Chester County is seeing an unacceptable wave of students who have been sexually abused in our elementary, middle, and high schools. It is imperative that we implement safeguards in our schools and any other place children are to protect them from predators," said Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, there are also four witnesses who say they saw Morales either groping the victim or touching her in an inappropriate way.

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Morales has been charged with multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault, institutional sexual assault and other related offenses.

He taught English as a Second Language (ESL) at the school district until 2016. He was suspended in June 2021 from the Phoenixville Area School District, where he had been working for the past five years. Nothing ever showed up on his background check, officials said.

"I think they do their due diligence. They do everything that's required of them. As a mom, obviously, you're concerned for your children but I feel like everyone will handle it the way they need to handle it," said Kim Rodgers of Phoenixville.

Morales has posted bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 28, 2021.

If you have any information about this case, you are asked to call Detective Christopher Coverly at 610-998-0032 ext. 302.