Ex-Hunter College High School Employee Accused Of Sexual Abuse

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A former employee at Hunter College High School faces accusations of sexual abuse in two separate incidents involving minors on the prestigious school's Upper East Side campus.

Asumana Randolph was arrested Thursday morning and arraigned in court later that day on a slew of charges.

Randolph worked at Hunter for more than 20 years as a lab technician and adviser to the science club, school spokesperson Deborah Raskin confirmed. The school said Randolph resigned last year following an investigation into the allegations into him, during which he was put on leave and eventually disciplined.

Court records detail accusations that Randolph abused a girl on Oct. 1, 2018, in his office at Hunter's East 94th Street building. His accuser, a girl identified as being under the age of 17 at the time, told authorities she was alone with Randolph in his office when he told her he had had a sexual relationship with another student 10 or 15 years earlier. He then told the girl he had the same feelings for her and asked if she wanted a "similar closer relationship," prosecutors allege.

The second instance took place Feb. 2, 2019 when another girl said that Randolph kissed her multiple times without her consent, according to the documents. The girl was under 17 at the time, prosecutors said.

Randolph's name and contact information were still listed Thursday on Hunter's website, but had been removed by Friday morning.

"During this process we have been cooperating with the District Attorney’s office and are continuing to do so," the school said in a statement.

Randolph was arraigned on suspicion of one count of sexual abuse, one count of forcible touching and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, court records show. He was let out on supervised release ahead of his next court hearing on Nov. 24.

The New York Post first reported on Randolph's arrest Thursday.

Reached for comment, Randolph's attorney, Patrick Brackley, said the "lack of merits of this case will be discussed at a later date," adding that his client had received letters and phone calls of support from former students and current faculty.

Note: an earlier version of this article referred to Randolph as a former teacher. The article has been updated to reflect that he was a lab technician and science club adviser.