Teacher Indicted for Alleged Sexual Relationship With Student

A former Parsippany Hills High School teacher was indicted Tuesday after being arrested in June 2013 for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student, Acting Morris County Prosecutor Frederic Knapp said.

Jenna Leahey, 32, was indicted on two counts of second degree endangering the welfare of a child, one count of second degree sexual assault, one count of second degree official misconduct, and three counts of fourth degree criminal sexual contact.

The teacher, who formerly resided in Morristown, was involved in a sexual relationship with a student who was 16-years-old, Knapp charged.

“The inappropriate nature of the relationship started while the victim was a student at the school,” Knapp said.

Leahy’s relationship with the student lasted six months, according to the prosecutor’s office. The teacher was also the head coach of the school’s field hockey team. Leahy and the student began exchanging “explicit text messages” and the teacher sent “sexually explicit pictures of herself” to the student, authorities said last year.

Authorities were made aware of the situation when the student allegedly told another school staff member about the relationship.

Anyone with information relating to these charges is urged to contact Detective Bruce LaFera of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit at 973-285-6200 or Detective Keith Duffy of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department Detective Bureau at 973-263-4300.