Charge: Woman had multiple sexual encounters with teen she once taught in Hermantown

A 29-year-old woman has been charged with sexually assaulting a high school student who had been one of her pupils in middle school in Hermantown.

Madeleine R. Schmaltz, of nearby Saginaw, was charged Wednesday in St. Louis County District Court with fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct with the 16-year-old in connection with multiple encounters in spring 2019, according to court records.

Schmaltz was hired by the school district in 2014 and was teaching science at Hermantown Middle School until her resignation was accepted on June 10, 2019, according to Superintendent Wayne Whitwam and district records. She also coached middle school volleyball, Whitwam said.

Schmaltz was charged by summons and has a court appearance scheduled for Tuesday. Messages were left with her seeking a response to the allegations.

According to the criminal complaint:

Law enforcement was alerted on June 4, 2019, that Schmaltz and the student were having a sexual relationship.

The teen's mother told police that she overheard her child having a phone conversation with an older female that was "sexual in nature," the complaint read.

The mother checked phone records, which revealed that her teen was speaking with Schmaltz, who was the teen's teacher about two years earlier.

The parents said their teen would visit Schmaltz's home often for help with schoolwork and mentoring. The parents also told law enforcement that Schmaltz had given their child several gifts.

Two days later, the teen confirmed with law enforcement the existence of the sexual relationship and visits to Schmaltz's home, where they had sexual contact more than twice that spring.

Interviewed that same day by a sheriff's sergeant, Schmaltz acknowledged that her relationship "became sexual, and she admitted to sexual touching of the victim ... and to having the victim touch her."