CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) — The Circleville Police Department announced that a nurse at Circleville High School has been charged for alleged inappropriate contact with a juvenile student.
The police say they received a complaint on Jan. 19 and identified the suspect as 39-year-old Rachael Knapp, a contracted nurse for the school through OhioHealth.
Circleville police report that Knapp admitted to being involved with a juvenile over social media that involved inappropriate messages and photos.
Knapp has been charged with four counts of dissemination of matter harmful to juveniles, according to police.
She is due in court for an arraignment on March 15 in Circleville Municipal Court.
OhioHealth Berger Hospital issued the following statement regarding Knapp:
“We are aware of the law enforcement investigation involving Rachael Knapp and can confirm that she was an associate of OhioHealth. When the allegations against her surfaced, we immediately placed her on administrative leave and she has since resigned. We will fully cooperate with law enforcement throughout the investigation. We value the strong working relationships we have with community partners, and these allegations against Rachael Knapp, if sustained, are in direct contradiction to our values as a faith-based healthcare system. “
On Wednesday, Circleville City Schools issued the following statement on Knapp’s charges:
“On the afternoon of March 1, the District learned that criminal charges were filed against a former OhioHealth employee who previously was contracted to work in our high school as a nurse. Immediately upon receiving a complaint against the nurse, the Administration notified the Circleville Police Department and has worked closely with them throughout the investigation. The nurse has not worked in our buildings since the Administration received the complaint.
The safety and security of our students and staff continues to be the top priority of the District. We would like to thank local officers and detectives of the Circleville Police Department for their assistance with this matter.”