Prosecutors May Seek Plea Deal in Stamford HS Teacher Sex Assault Case

Prosecutors are reportedly looking to cut a deal with the Stamford High School English teacher who’s accused of having an affair with one of her students.

At a hearing in state Superior Court in Stamford on Friday, Assistant State’s Attorney Michelle Manning said that rather than taking the sexual assault case to trail, she was ready to try to resolve the case by making an offer to the teacher Danielle Watkins, 32, of Norwalk, according to The Advocate.

Manning told Judge Richard Comerford that she planned to have pretrial discussions with Watkins’ attorney Rob Serafinowicz on Nov. 18, according to the report. Watkins was arrested July 17 on two counts of second-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor, interfering with a search, possession of drug paraphernalia, breach of peace and four counts of possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

Watkins, who is reportedly married with two children, has been suspended from her teaching position. Her arrest followed a student reporting to Stamford Police that the pair continued a series of sexual liaisons throughout the school year and when he wanted to end the relationship in June, she threatened to fail him. The encounters reportedly took place off campus of the Strawberry Hill Avenue school. student. Watkins also is accused supplying that student and another with marijuana.

Since her arrest, Watkins has been free on $100,000 bond and received medical treatment from private facilities in New Canaan and Danbury. Following her treatment, she pleaded not guilty to the charges on Sept. 22.

Related to Watkins’ arrest were the arrests of Stamford High Principal Donna Valentine, 62, and Assistant Principal Roth Nordin, 59, on a misdemeanor charge of failing to report child abuse. The administrators were arrested by Stamford Police on Oct. 2 who said the administrators were aware of the relationship but failed to report it to authorities. They reportedly are on administrative leave.

The Advocate report can be found here.

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Photo: Danielle Watkins. Credit: Courtesy of Stamford Police.