Schools
'I Miss You, I Love You': Abington HS Teacher's Texts To Student
From the 290 pages of texts between an Abington teacher and an underage student: "I always have 2 emergency plane tickets to the Caribbean."
ABINGTON, PA — Police have uncovered a series of texts sent by an Abington Senior High School teacher who has been charged with sexual crimes for his alleged relationship with an underage student.
The texts, sent by 55-year-old Willow Grove resident and Latin teacher Thomas Kummer, show both Kummer's obsession with the student and an anxiety over being caught.
"I miss you, I love you," he texted. "I think you should move in with me."
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All told, the investigation has revealed at least 290 pages of texts between them, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Police said that Kummer was chaperone on an Abington school trip to Italy in June, which is around when he began to have sexual contact with the victim. Text messages between Kummer and the victim ran from July 1 all the way to Sept. 30, which is the day Kummer was arrested.
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"I've fallen in love with you," one of Kummer's texts read, according to the affidavit. "Buying beer, do you want some?"
Then, later, reflecting concern that he might be caught: "We need to pick our steps, we need to protect ourselves," "you need to delete everything," and "I always have 2 emergency tickets to the Caribbean."
Police said a concerned citizen came forward on Sept. 26 with a tip that Kummer was engaged in something illegal, and an investigation began.
On Sept. 30, the victim told Kummer that her phone and computer had been searched by police, and Kummer texted that he didn't want to go to school on Monday. "I'm completely freaked out," he texted.
Later that day, Kummer was taken into custody at his home on the 400 block of Krewson Terrace in Willow Grove.
He faces felony charges of unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of a child, and institutional sexual assault of a minor.
If you have any information on this incident, please contact Detective Cindy Pettinato at 267-536-1098.
Image via Abington Police Department
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