Gretchen Krohnfeldt was a teacher in the eighth-grade at Drake Middle School in Arvada, Colorado. After it surfaced she had been having an inappropriate relationship with a male student at the school, she took her own life, as police officers reportedly approached her home to question her about the relationship.
School teacher placed on leave after allegations surfaced
CBS Denver reports that Krohnfeldt, 47, was placed on leave from her teaching position on Monday after the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office received a report she had been involved in an inappropriate sexual relationship with one of her male students.
The sheriff’s office and Arvada police ran a joint investigation on Krohnfeldt, where it was revealed the alleged physical relationship began when he attended Drake Middle School. The student, who is now in high school in Arvada, allegedly met with Krohnfeldt privately at her Arvada home.
According to The New York Post, Krohnfeldt was pronounced dead at her home on Tuesday afternoon. Dan Pruett, the Jefferson County chief deputy coroner, said at present the cause of death is still under investigation.
Arvada teacher's suicide is being linked to an investigation into relationship with student https://t.co/hLEoOnl7gI #9newsmornings pic.twitter.com/VKvUV7PDmp
— 9NEWS Denver (@9NEWS) May 11, 2017
Drake Middle School sent a letter to parents
Officials sent a letter to parents of students at the school; however they declined to share details about the cause of Krohnfeldt’s death.
The school said in the letter that their hearts go out to Krohnfeldt’s family at this difficult time. The school also provided mental health counselors for students on Wednesday, who will be available all week.
Relationships of this nature affect both male and female victims
9News quotes Dr. Max Wachtel, their psychologist, as saying that when there is an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and student, it can cause long-lasting effects on the youngster, whether male or female.
Wachtel said that many don’t realize that male victims can be just as badly affected as females in this kind of situation.
He added that child victims can often be confused and not realize the relationship is not legal or healthy. Wachtel said they often think they are in love and don’t realize they are being taken advantage of.
He added that it can also adversely affect them later on in life.
Krohnfeldt was a mother of three children and had worked at Drake Middle School in Arvada since 1993. She taught English language arts, social studies and reading intervention at the school.
