Two Pennsylvania teachers, who happened to be a married couple, were convicted Wednesday of child sex abuse.
Nick Baggetta and his wife, Ruth, were found guilty of engaging in a sexual relationship with a then-16-year-old female that lasted nearly two years.
In gripping testimony on Monday, the unidentified woman, now 19, spoke of how she began the tryst with Nick Baggetta as his wife encouraged their sexual shenanigans.
The Greenfield Township teachers’ defense was that they were merely trying to help the woman deal with mental health issues.
Among the evidence presented were series of text messages — averaging about 80 a day over several months — between the Baggettas and the girl. Despite the language not being overtly sexual, the texts contained language grossly inappropriate for a teacher and student, claimed the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office.
“It’s just clearly inappropriate conduct for a teacher to be corresponding with a student like that. Where there’s smoke there’s fire,” said Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell. “What they did was inappropriate at all levels. They just didn’t admit to the sexual misconduct, but the jury saw through that.”
Ruth Baggetta had been suspended without pay as a teacher at Lakeland High School but could now face jail time as does.
