Teacher preyed on daughters of divorced parents

DELAWARE, Ohio, United States — A former central Ohio elementary school teacher who a prosecutor said preyed on “girls who had divorced parents” was found guilty of more than 40 charges involving the sexual assaults of several students.

Matthew Rausenberg, 40, was convicted Monday in Delaware County of 34 counts of gross sexual imposition, four counts of kidnapping and three counts of pandering sexually oriented materials.

A message seeking comment from his attorney, Thomas Waldeck, wasn’t immediately returned Tuesday.

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Rausenberg resigned from Arrowhead Elementary School in Lewis Center— north of Columbus —after his March arrest. The allegations against the former second and third grade teacher date back to 2006.

Delaware County Prosecutor Carol O’Brien said he assaulted young female students who “wouldn’t make a fuss” and filmed himself groping and molesting a second-grader after she told him to stop.

“He picked on girls who had divorced parents,” O’Brien said. “He picked on girls who were anxious, who were shy, who were new to the community.”

Waldeck questioned the credibility of a witness and her mother who waited several years to speak out.

“For six years they did nothing,” he said.

An expert witness testified earlier that sexual assault victims often don’t initially tell anyone and have trouble understanding what happened to them, The Columbus Dispatch reported.

Rausenberg is facing up to life in prison at his sentencing on Thursday.

“I’m grateful to God,” one mother of a victim told The Dispatch, “knowing other children like her won’t be hurt.”