Fired Tennis Coach Arrested For Inappropriate Relationship With 15-Year-Old Student
By Matt Rivers
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS)--Eyewitness News cameras were rolling as former tennis coach Charles Meredith was taken in for his arraignment in Montgomery County.
He worked at the Sacred Heart Day School, a private catholic school, with Pre-k through 12th grade students.
The victim, according to officials, a fifteen-year-old girl on his team.
Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman says,"If these charges are true, this is one of those cases that is a gross violation of the trust placed in someone to look after and care for children."
He's charged with corruption of a minor, after police allege he texted the girl inappropriate messages. It allegedly got physical in August of this year, when Meredith drove the victim to a gym to meet his trainer.
The trainer wasn't there.
And so then according to this affidavit, Meredith started driving to Lafayette Street. At some point during that drive, however, he allegedly pulled over and started kissing the fifteen year old victim for 2-3 minutes.
He then took her for a milkshake, advising her not to say a word. But she did speak up to her mother who went to police, and for that, she's being praised.
Ferman says, "That's the only way that we can stop people from this kind of predatory behavior. In this case, thankfully we were able to stop it before something worse happened."
Coming out of court after his arraignment, Meredith chose not to make a statement, instead letting his lawyer pronounce his innocence.
Meredith's attorney, Jim Freeman, says, "This is a man whose entire life is being disrupted by allegations that have no basis in fact whatsoever."
Meredith does have a wife and children of his own. He was fired from Sacred Heart Day School back in October, well before charges were filed.
Meredith was released after posting bail.
