75-Year-Old Female Teacher ‘Repeatedly’ Sexually Assaulted Boy, 14, In School Basement

The 75-year-old educator, Anne Nelson-Koch, was also given 15 years probation following the decade-long prison sentence. She initially faced over 600 years in prison, but her character became a point of dispute in the court proceedings.

Back in April 2022, Nelson-Koch was accused by police of forcing a male student of hers, who was 14 at the time of the assaults, to engage in sex during school hours throughout the 2016-2017 academic year.

The repeated assaults, the Tomah Police Department said, occurred during her employ at the Tomah Baptist Academy.

Per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the assaults only stopped when Nelson-Koch left the private school. She is said to have not attempted further contact with the victim immediately after leaving the school. However, they did bump into each other at a later date at a Walmart. She then sent him a Christmas card. The student went to the police in December of 2021 once he and his former teacher began attending the same church again.

The jury, in August, found Nelson-Koch guilty of 25 counts of sexual assault of a child, child enticement, exposing genitals, exposing intimate parts and intimidation of the victim.

While the judge said the former educator’s impact on the victim and his family was an “aggravating factor”, per the Tomah Police Department, he also noted that Nelson-Koch’s reputation in the community as “selfless” and “giving” were mitigating factors.

Of the teacher, the judge said she was “not someone who normally would be [seen] in the criminal justice system facing 600 years of prison.”

But the DA felt otherwise. Assistant District Attorney Sarah Skiles is said, by local police, to have “attacked Nelson-Koch’s lack of repentance or remorse, calling Nelson-Koch’s virtuous masquerade ‘a calculated attempt to conceal her predatory tendencies.'”

Skiles said the former teacher should serve 100 years behind bars and then have 60 years of probation after her release.

“Skiles said the damage that Nelson-Koch’s appalling actions caused could not be undone but could be accounted for through a just sentence,” police said, and the ADA wanted to “ensure the seriousness of the sexual assault of a child in a school and the pain endured by the victim were not discounted.”

Meanwhile, the father of the victim said his son had only come forward to ensure that his former teacher could not harm another child. He pleaded with the judge to keep Nelson-Koch behind bars for the rest of her life.

Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Richard Radcliffe gave Nelson-Koch 10 years in prison and 15 years of supervision.

ADA Skiles said of the young victim, “I applaud him for his bravery. Without his courage, Nelson-Koch would still be in the community.”

Nelson-Koch’s Facebook page states she was in a relationship as of August 14, 2017; and that she began her job at Tomah Baptist Academy on February 1, 2016.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.