Indiana Teacher Arrested for Molesting Three Brothers

(Fort Wayne, Indiana) A 35-year-old former teacher at St. Jude Catholic School, Michelle VanMeter, was arrested last Thursday for engaging in sex with three brothers, one of which is a mentally handicapped and deaf adult and the other two are ages 13 and 15.

Additionally, VanMeter gave birth in June to a child fathered by the 15-year-old, according to DNA testing. VanMeter had access to and sometimes cared for the boys through a close friendship with their mother.

VanMeter sent the mother a letter about the birth of her child, a girl, and said it was the result of a one-night stand with a man she met at a bar. According to court records, the mother said this sounded fishy because VanMeter was not known to go to bars. Her suspicions were further raised when she saw the baby and thought it resembled her 15-year-old son. Days later she went to police.

When the mother questioned her three sons, according to court records, they each told of sexual acts they did with VanMeter while at her home. According to court records, VanMeter met with police July 24 and admitted to the sex acts in an interview with detectives. She said she knew what she did was wrong, the records said.

VanMeter faces charges of three counts of child molesting, three counts of sexual misconduct with a minor and one count of sexual battery.

Vince LaBarbera, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, confirmed that Vanmeter is a former teacher at St. Jude but delineated nothing further.


[Update 11/30/07]

VanMeter arrested again for molestation of 12-year-old boy.