Student: Teen, Female Teacher Touched, Did 'Physical Things' in Classroom

A friend of a student allegedly sexually assaulted by a female teacher testified Tuesday that the two touched each other and ”did other physical things in her classroom.”

Pre-trial testimony in the case of the Parsippany Hills teacher came from friends of the alleged victim, along with a notable coach in the district, that could prove to be damning for the defense.

Jenna Leahey, now 33, of Morristown, is a former English teacher at Parsippany Hills High School as well as a field hockey coach. She is accused of having a sexual relationship with a then-16-year-old student at the school who did not have Leahey as a teacher.

In court on Tuesday, the student’s friend said he was told by the teen that the two touched each other sexually, according to nj.com.

Leahey has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

That friend was one of three people to testify along with head football coach Dave Albano, who said the alleged victim came to him on June 7, 2013, and told the staff member of the relationship, the report said. The teen allegedly told Albano the student and teacher kissed, made out, and had been “fooling around” in a car after a volleyball game.

The former student said he learned of the relationship when he and his friend were playing video games, and the alleged victim showed him text messages and possibly nude pictures that Leahey sent to him, according to nj.com.

The relationship reportedly began when Leahey began counseling the teen after his aunt died from cancer. The relationship allegedly lasted six months. Leahey was indicted in February 2014 on two counts of second degree endangering the welfare of a child, one count of second degree official misconduct, and three counts of fourth degree criminal sexual contact.

The charges came after an investigation revealed that she allegedly became involved in the relationship in 2013, according to northjersey.com.

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