A female teacher’s aide at a special-education school in Lakewood is accused of kissing and fondling a teenage boy she knows from school.
April T. Robertson, 32, who works at the Jefferson County Public Schools’ Sobesky Academy, allegedly met a 15-year-old student twice in December off school grounds and had sexual contact with the boy, according to court documents.
Robertson was arrested by Lakewood police Thursday. She appeared in court in Golden on Friday and was released on a $15,000 bond.
The student, who was not identified in the affidavit, told police in March that he met Robertson at Colorado Mills mall on Dec. 22 and Dec. 23. They left the mall in Robertson’s car and went to a nearby park and a nearby condominium project, where they kissed and fondled inside the car, the teenager told investigators.
The boy told investigators that Robertson exposed a piece of jewelry she was wearing under her clothing during one of the alleged encounters. Investigators found a piece of jewelry matching the teen’s description, according to the affidavit.
After the second alleged incident, the boy told his brother and father, the affidavit states.
Robertson, who is on unpaid administrative leave from the school, was interviewed by investigators April 2 in the principal’s office at the academy. She denied having any sexual contact with the student.
Robertson did recall seeing the student at Colorado Mills mall over Christmas break “but denied ever stopping to talk to him, or leaving the mall with him,” she told investigators.
The student had left Robertson love poems and drawings on her desk and “appeared to be obsessed with her,” she told police.
Colin Bresee, Robertson’s attorney, said his client had told school officials the boy had “obsessive behavior” about her.
“She has a great deal of disappointment. She asked for help and the school district washed their hands of this,” Bresee said.
The affidavit states the school district denies having a record or reports from Robertson about the student’s behavior.
Lynn Setzer, a spokeswoman for the school district, declined to comment specifically about the case because of the ongoing investigation.
The academy teaches students with special physical and emotional needs, Setzer said.
Staff writer Kieran Nicholson can be reached at 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
