A Pine Grove High School guidance counselor is out on bail after being charged with having sex with a teenage girl while the girl was a student at the high school in Schuylkill County.
Heather Cook of has been suspended with pay as a guidance counselor at the Pine Grove Area High School.
According to court papers the relationship between Cook and the student began when the guidance counselor kissed the victim. That then started a nearly two year relationship between the victim and the guidance counselor outside of the school. Court papers said they had sex several times a week.
"This is very bizarre," said Pine Grove Police Chief Mark Resue. "My father was a teacher for 30 years and I would never, never expect this out of a guidance counselor."
Police investigated the case for three months before arresting Cook.
"You've given the trust of a child into a high school guidance counselor's hands. A trust is built and not to take advantage of the children and utilizing them for their own sexual pleasures," said Pine Grove Detective Tom Trotter.
Investigators call Heather Cook a predator and she may have had other young female victims.
"Whenever you have a case like this there is always the possibility of there being more out there," Chief Resue added.
Police said if there are other victims of Heather Cook, investigators want to talk to them.
Authorities said Cook bought her student victim, flowers, jewelry, a book of poems and had sex with her at Cook's home.
"How could the parents not know of what your child was doing and going on? I mean 17 years old or not you would want to know where all these gifts were coming from," said Jennifer Aungst.
Parents who were asked were shocked to hear the accusations.
"If it's kids, underage students you would think the guidance counselor would know better and seek companionship elsewhere out of school," said Tony Thomas of Orwigsburg.
Police said another teacher, a friend of Cook's, knew about the sexual relationship between the student and the guidance counselor but did not tell anyone.
Heather Cook of has been suspended with pay as a guidance counselor at the Pine Grove Area High School.
According to court papers the relationship between Cook and the student began when the guidance counselor kissed the victim. That then started a nearly two year relationship between the victim and the guidance counselor outside of the school. Court papers said they had sex several times a week.
"This is very bizarre," said Pine Grove Police Chief Mark Resue. "My father was a teacher for 30 years and I would never, never expect this out of a guidance counselor."
Police investigated the case for three months before arresting Cook.
"You've given the trust of a child into a high school guidance counselor's hands. A trust is built and not to take advantage of the children and utilizing them for their own sexual pleasures," said Pine Grove Detective Tom Trotter.
Investigators call Heather Cook a predator and she may have had other young female victims.
"Whenever you have a case like this there is always the possibility of there being more out there," Chief Resue added.
Police said if there are other victims of Heather Cook, investigators want to talk to them.
Authorities said Cook bought her student victim, flowers, jewelry, a book of poems and had sex with her at Cook's home.
"How could the parents not know of what your child was doing and going on? I mean 17 years old or not you would want to know where all these gifts were coming from," said Jennifer Aungst.
Parents who were asked were shocked to hear the accusations.
"If it's kids, underage students you would think the guidance counselor would know better and seek companionship elsewhere out of school," said Tony Thomas of Orwigsburg.
Police said another teacher, a friend of Cook's, knew about the sexual relationship between the student and the guidance counselor but did not tell anyone.
