PLYMOUTH, Conn — A Plymouth elementary school teacher has been charged with multiple counts of sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor. The alleged victims include five of his former students. FOX61 went digging for details Tuesday in this disturbing case.
Mr. James Eschert, 50, is being held on a $300,000 bond and two other school employees are on leave pending the investigation, including the principal of the Plymouth Center School. Eschert is at the center of a student sexual assault scandal.
"I’m obviously shocked. When you knocked on my door, I had no idea," said Maggie Keane, Escher's neighbor.
FOX61 went to Collinsville where unopened packages with Eschert's name were left by the door.
Keane said he's "a little bizarre, maybe just because when you say hi maybe he would not say hi back."
FOX61 told Keane about some of the horrific allegations detailed against her neighbor in the 28-page police affidavit, like how the victims told investigators that Eschert favored some female fourth-grade students, hugging them and inviting them to stay inside for recess for "Fun Friday." The students told investigators that he touched them and took inappropriate photos.
"Personally I think to myself, oh my gosh, what did I miss? Are there some glaring signs that I just didn’t see?" said Keane.
As a member of the apartment’s board, Keane says she’s been inside Eschert’s unit before. "He had a lot of really cool collectibles and comic books and nice notes from his family. His mother and his brother."
Eschert's brother also lives in the building. FOX61 knocked on his door. He answered, but promptly shut it.
Officials are remaining tight-lipped about the ongoing investigation.
“The Plymouth Public Schools will never compromise the safety and well-being of our students,” said the superintendent.
“The Plymouth Police Department has spent countless hours conducting interviews, reviewing statements and preparing court paperwork,” said Plymouth Police.
While the Mayor said, “My hope and expectation that he will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
It's a sentiment shared by residents.
"I was hoping it was just bad gossip and it wasn’t true," remarked Kathena Nenninger of Terryville.
It’s becoming clear that the timeline will be a very important part of this investigation. When were school administrators informed about Eschert’s behavior and what was done about it? Why was he allowed to continue teaching for months before being removed from the classroom? And why wasn’t the school community notified of the situation immediately? Still, more questions than answers.
Matt Caron is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at mcaron@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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