Central Reg. Teacher Was Naked In Girl's Locker Room: Affidavit

BERKELEY, NJ — A Central Regional teacher charged with endangering child welfare was naked in the girl's locker room, according to the affidavit. A girl saw Joshua Eckersley when she entered the high school's girl's locker room to use the bathroom, the document says.

Eckersley was charged last Thursday with endangering the welfare of a child and lewdness. The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office did not specify in last week's announcement the "indecent act" he allegedly committed. The affidavit provides details on the allegations. Read more: Central Regional Teacher Charged With Endangering Child Welfare

The victim was at Central Regional High School for a sports practice. She needed to use the bathroom, so she entered the girl's locker room through the "team room" door.

She encountered Eckersley once she entered, according to the affidavit. Eckersley was turning the corner from the aisle of lockers closest to the showers, according to authorities.

The victim said she saw Eckersley's chest. He was holding something "white" in his hand, and his hands were in front of his genitals, the victim told authorities.

They didn't exchange words, and the girl continued to walk toward the bathroom. She immediately looked back and saw Eckersley entering the area that leads to the showers, the affidavit says. He was completely undressed, and the victim saw his bare legs, back and buttocks, according to authorities.

The victim waited in the bathroom stall to see if she could hear Eckersley leave. She waited a few seconds before exiting the bathroom stall. Then she washed her hands, returned to practice and told her coaches what happened, according to the affidavit.

Surveillance video showed Eckersley tried getting into the boy's locker room but didn't enter. The affidavit doesn't specify why he didn't enter. Then he went into the girl's locker room, leaving the view of the camera, the affidavit says.

Three or four minutes later, video shows him fully dressed in the "athletic hallway," according to authorities.

Central Regional's faculty directory lists Eckersley as a middle-school math teacher. He also ran for Township Council last year.

After school authorities were notified of the alleged incident, the district suspended him with pay. He has not been back on school grounds since and won't return until the matter concludes, said Superintendent Dr. Triantafillos Parlapanides. Read more: Central Regional Teacher Suspended After Alleged 'Indecent Act'

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