A woman currently employed by the Toronto District School Board is facing sex-related charges in connection with alleged incidents involving a student dating back more than a decade.
Police allege that between September 2001 and June 2003, a student was sexually assaulted by a woman, both during and after school hours.
The student, whose gender was not provided by police, was 14 when the alleged incidents began.
On Wednesday, a suspect was arrested in connection with the case.
“(The accused) was an employee of the Toronto District School Board, working as an educational assistant at Bloor Collegiate Institute at the time of the alleged assaults,” police said in a release Thursday afternoon.
“She is presently still employed with the TDSB.”
The suspect currently works as a teacher in the short term behaviour program at The Elms Junior Middle School, located at 45 Golfdown Dr., in Etobicoke.
“While it is important to remember that laying criminal charges does not constitute guilt, and that a person is innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law, we also cannot and do not take these allegations lightly,” Principal Craig Tsuji said in a letter sent out to parents today.
“(The accused) has not been in her role since the allegations came to our attention and will remain on home assignment, pending (the) outcome of the matter.”
A meeting for parents has been scheduled for Tuesday evening beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Police are concerned there may be additional victims.
Forty-seven-year-old Yolande Bernadette Byam, of Peel Region, is charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of sexual exploitation.
She is scheduled to appear in court in Toronto on July 5.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1100 or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
