Walter Lynn Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (arrested Feb 2014)

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Walter Lynn Street (Ben Avon, Pennsylvania), 59, music teacher at Avonworth Elementary School, Avonworth School District, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, "charged with raping a child he is related to"

Previously taught at:

• Avonworth Middle School, Avonworth School District, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Avonworth High School, Avonworth School District, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

WTAE: Avonworth Elementary School music teacher in jail on rape charges: Walter Lynn Street, 59, charged with raping child (Feb 6 2014)

Police say the abuse went on for years ... In January, the Ohio Township Police Department was notified by the school superintendent about a troubling letter found on the desktop of [Walter Lynn] Street’s district-owned computer. It was addressed to the victim, who is now 17 and not living in Street’s house.​

Police said the letter read, “This letter could get me into trouble (because of the content, or who else might see it, if anyone),” and “Letting my feelings show for someone that, society says is a no-no,” and, “I will try to keep my emotions and hands to myself.”​

Ohio Township police were familiar with Walter Street because of an investigation into rape charges made by the same girl in 2009. Back then police said the girl went to a church leader she knows and told her Street had been having sex with her since she was about 10 years old. She feared she was pregnant.​

After several forensic interviews of the girl in 2009, she recanted all the accusations and charges were never filed. That same year, Walter Street was moved from the middle and high school band teaching job to the elementary school. It is unclear if the district was aware of the investigation.​

When the letter on the computer came to light, police asked the girl if her original accusations against Street were true. This time she said 'yes.'​

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Trib Live: Avonworth teacher charged in sexual assault (Feb 5 2014)

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Ohio Township police on Friday charged Walter Street, 58, of Ben Avon with statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and other crimes. He is being held at the Allegheny County Jail in lieu of a $200,000 bond, online court records show ... The district superintendent alerted police Jan. 17 after finding a letter on Street's school laptop detailing an inappropriate relationship, according to a criminal complaint. The victim told police Street began assaulting her when she was 10 and continued for several years.​

 

CBS Local Pittsburgh: Avonworth Teacher Charged In Alleged Sexual Assault Of Child (Feb 5 2014)

“The sexual assault of a family member who no longer resides with him,” says Cpl. Chris Simkoviak, of the Ohio Township Police Department. [Walter Lynn] Street, 59, is charged with rape, incest and assault of a little girl. She was 10-years-old when the alleged abuse began.​

 

Post Gazette: Avonworth Elementary music teacher arrested on rape charges (Feb 5 2014)

Walter Street, 59, of Ben Avon was in the Allegheny County Jail on Wednesday in lieu of $200,000 bond. The former high school and middle school band teacher, who also was director of the marching band, is not permitted on school property, district spokeswoman Dana Hackley said Wednesday.​

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Allegations that Mr. Street raped the girl surfaced in 2009, when the then-17-year-old contacted the director of a Christian-based organization and said she was concerned that she might be pregnant with Mr. Street's child. The director contacted Ohio Township police Cpl. Chris Simcoviak, who began an investigation. In interviews when another relative was present, though, the young woman recanted a statement detailing the abuse, which she told police started when she was 10 and occurred on and off for several years. Police had no corroborating evidence and no charges were filed then, the corporal wrote in a criminal complaint.​

 

WPXI: Longtime elementary school music teacher accused of sexual assaulting minor (Feb 5 2014)

The district superintendent alerted police after finding a letter detailing an inappropriate relationship on [Walter Lynn] Street's computer last month. The victim told police Street began assaulting her when she was 10, and it continued for several years ... Channel 11’s Rick Earle reported investigators first questioned Street about five years ago when a 17-year-old girl said he molested her. However, the teen recanted and police dropped the case.​