CEDARBURG, Wis. — A Cedarburg High School paraprofessional has been arrested and charged in Illinois with aggravated battery and grooming of a child, according to court documents obtained by TMJ4 News.
Johnny Laitker, 51, was arrested in McHenry County, Illinois and is facing three charges, including aggravated battery - great bodily harm, grooming and domestic battery which causes great bodily harm.
Watch: Cedarburg school employee arrested on battery, child grooming charges in Illinois
Prosecutors allege that he struck and broke the ribs of a woman he was dating and attempted to rape her, according to a criminal complaint and pre-trial detention order. He also allegedly tried to convince the woman through lewd text messages to give him access to a child she was the guardian of.
"Shock," said Sarah Albrecht, a Cedarburg parent and future educator said of her first reaction to the news. "To feel like that trust is broken is scary... Myself as a future educator, I know how important it is to have someone in the classroom that parents can trust your kids there all day with them."
According to state records, Laitker was licensed as a special education program aide.
In a statement, the Cedarburg School District said Laitker has been suspended without pay and stressed that the conduct was unrelated to the district. He is banned from school property and events pending the outcome of the matter.
The Cedarburg School District is aware of allegations of misconduct that occurred over the summer, unrelated to the district, involving a paraprofessional employed by Cedarburg High School.
Upon learning of this situation, we took immediate and decisive action. The individual has been placed on an unpaid suspension and is banned from all school district property and events pending the outcome of the matter.
Because this is a pending personnel matter, we cannot provide any further comment at this time. We understand that this news may be unsettling, and we appreciate your professionalism and support in maintaining a stable and positive environment for our students.
Laitker remains in custody at the McHenry County Jail in Illinois. A judge ruled he will be detained there until trial.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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