CUSD teacher enters ‘not guilty’ plea on lewd act charge

A Claremont Unified School District physical education teacher accused of lewd acts with a child entered a plea of not guilty with the Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, May 30.

Timothy Northrop, 57, was arrested by officers from the Claremont Police Department at 8 a.m. on Monday, May 22 on two felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child. His bail was set at $200,000.

According to Lt. Mike Ciszek, two 12-year-old girls have accused Mr. Northrop of “inappropriate touching” in two separate incidents during PE class at Chaparral, one on May 15 and the other on May 18.

Police would not elaborate further on the allegations and a request by the COURIER for a police report Tuesday was denied.

Mr. Northrop’s attorney, Leonard Levine, said the allegations against his client involve “having tapped or pinched the buttocks of students,” a charge Mr. Northrop adamantly denies.

“He’s been working in the Claremont district for 11 years and has had no prior allegations against him,” Mr. Levine said in a phone interview. “No misconduct of any kind.”

Mr. Northrop, who was principal of Condit Elementary from 2006 to 2009, has worked as a public school teacher or principal since 1980.

CUSD Assistant Superintendent Kevin Ward said that Mr. Northrop has been placed on paid administrative leave and the district is cooperating fully with the investigation.

Mr. Levine said that the charges against Mr. Northrop are “wrong and very unfortunate.”

“We look forward to establishing Mr. Northrop’s complete innocence in court,” he said.

A pre-preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June 28, according to the Los Angeles Superior Court database.

—Matthew Bramlett

news@claremont-courier.com

 

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