Stratford teacher arrested, accused of sexually assaulting a student

STRATFORD -- A special education teacher with the Stratford School District has been arrested on charges of sexual assault.

The victim, who will turn 15 on Thursday, went into the Bunnell High School social worker's office on September 24 and told her he was sexually assaulted by a female employee of the Stratford school system.

Police were contacted about the allegations, and Wednesday morning, Michelle Sulzicki, 28, of Oxford, turned herself in to Stratford Police.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, the school's social worker told police that the teen came into her office because something was bothering him and he wanted to tell someone.

The victim told her he had sex with a teacher's aide while he was in the sixth and seventh grades, when he was 12 to 13 years old. The teen said that the teacher was also his home tutor. The teen claims incidents always occurred at his house and often while his parents were in a different room.

The day after the social worker spoke with police, the teen completed a forensic interview with a social worker at the Center for Family Justice. The victim told the social worker he had sexual intercourse on more than one occasion with Sulzicki.

 Police interviewed Sulzicki, who was a teacher's aide when the first assault occurred but has since become a special education teacher at Chapel Street Elementary School. She denied having a sexual relationship with the alleged victim at first, but eventually admitted to having sex with the boy only once, between his sixth- and seventh-grade years. Sulzicki told police this sexual encounter occurred at the victim's home in his bedroom.

She said she would communicate with the victim through texts and phone calls. She also admitted to purchasing the victim gifts and clothing.

The family was not charged by Sulzicki for tutoring the victim.

The suspect told police she has a 5-month-old daughter. The victim told police he is not sure if he is the child's father. Sulzicki got married in November 2013.

Sulzicki was arrested on Wednesday for first-degree sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, illegal sexual contact with a minor and risk of injury to a minor, according to Stratford Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour.

If convicted on both sexual assault charges, Sulzicki, faces a minimum of 10 to 15 years in prison.

She is due back in court on November 3 and was released on $100,000 bond.

Dr. Janet Robinson, superintendent of schools, said while the alleged incident took place off school property, the system took immediate disciplinary action.

"Outraged and appalled are the only words that can describe these very disturbing allegations," said Dr. Robinson. "I am now in the process of moving toward terminating this individual."