EDISON — A Middlesex County grand jury indicted the former head coach of the girls swim team at Bishop George Ahr High School last week on allegations she had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old female student last year.
Sarah E. Blessing, 27, was indicted March 5 on charges of sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, and endangering the welfare of a child. She remains free on $150,000 bail, authorities said.
In addition to coaching the Catholic school’s swim team, Blessing served for the last four years as a fifth-grade teacher at Park Middle School in Scotch Plains. After her arrest, she was suspended with pay by the Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District, and the Diocese of Metuchen terminated her employment immediately.
Blessing was arrested at her South Plainfield home on Dec. 2 after Investigator Raj Chopra at the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and Edison Detectives Michael Michalski and Tim Farrell determined, based on alleged evidence, that Blessing had relations with the student, starting around June of last year, according to a press release from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The Diocese of Metuchen reportedly brought the allegations to the attention of law enforcement.
— Kathy Chang