A former Klein ISD teacher is accused of sexually abusing a 7-year-old student and was placed before a judge Wednesday. Reports from a KHOU article indicate that Matthew Stegeman Sr., 52, faces charges of indecency with a child by sexual contact after being fired from his position following an investigation. In response to his alleged actions, the court has ordered Stegeman to stay at least 500 feet away from places where children are present and to have no contact with the victim.
When arrested earlier in the month, Stegeman was let out on a $50,000 bond. Court records claim the incident involved the 7-year-old student at Epps Island Elementary communicating to her mother that her teacher, Stegeman, tried to put his hands down her underwear after caressing her private area, a testimony corroborated by ABC13. Court documents also revealed how the teacher allegedly made comments to the child, stating, "You may not like it now, but you will later," after she resisted and told him "no."
Concern arose around Stegeman's behavior when a history of improper conduct with students came to light, including an instance where he was reportedly counseled about maintaining appropriate boundaries after kissing a female student on the cheek. During the course of the investigation, Stegeman told the school's human resources director, "You know I may at times pinch their cheeks," and suggested sometimes children hug him and he would "tickle them." Klein ISD released a statement outlining their immediate action taken upon learning of the allegations, which included initiating an investigation, informing the parents, and swiftly terminating Stegeman's employment with the district, as reported by ABC13.
Stegeman's attorney Joseph Vinas spoke on the sensitivity surrounding the case, especially given the involvement of children, telling KHOU, "Obviously people get very concerned when children are involved that breeds a whole host of issues in these types of cases and so it’s always best to reserve judgment until all the facts come out." The former teacher's next court appearance is slated for February 12, where he is expected to attend a status hearing.
