FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (1010 WINS) — A New Jersey private school teacher and coach has been charged for allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office said Friday.
Matthew J. Rennie, a teacher at Rutgers Preparatory School, has also been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and is being held in the Somerset County Jail, pending a detention hearing.
Officials said Ranait Griff, a teacher and coach at the same school, knew of the relationship.
Griff has also been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and is being held in the same jail.
The 17-year-old unnamed victim reported to Franklin Township Police on Wednesday that she was sexually assaulted by Rennie while he was employed at the school from July to September of this year.
After the student was interviewed by investigators from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Abuse Unit and Franklin Township Police Department and an investigation was conducted, Rennie was arrested on Wednesday.
"We take the allegations made against two school employees extremely seriously," a Rutgers Prep spokesperson said in a statement, according to NJ.com. "When we learned they had been arrested, both were immediately suspended. The safety of our students is our first priority. We have hired an experienced investigator to conduct a thorough and independent investigation, and we will cooperate fully with law enforcement. Because this is a legal matter and a personnel matter we will not comment further."