Female Track & Field Coach Arrested After Admitting To Relationship With 17-Year-Old Student
April 14 2023, Published 6:30 p.m. ET
A female track and field coach in Pennsylvania was arrested after she admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old student, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Hannah Marth was a Javelin coach at Northampton Area High School in the Easton Area School District. The 26-year-old educator was arraigned Thursday on charges of institutional sexual assault and sexual assault by a sports official.
According to authorities, the teen involved with Marth claimed they had been in a relationship from May 2021 to October 2022. Law enforcement said that Marth confessed to the relationship — and it's believed the high school coach initiated the romance.
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In an official statement, the Northampton District Attorney's Office claimed that Marth first texted the student on May 22, 2021, at around 2 AM. The track coach invited the student to her house and allegedly initiated sexual contact.
"A trusted relationship between a student athlete, an athlete's parent, and a coach can be a vulnerable one," District Attorney Terry Houck told the Morning Call. "An abuse of that relationship shows a coach's blatant disregard for the well-being of those she or he coached, and above all, the law."
"This defendant defied that trust when she committed this alleged crime against the victim," DA Houck added.
The relationship between coach and athlete was one that Marth understood well, as she was said to have been a standout athlete on the track and field team when she was a student at Northampton high school.
The Easton Area School District superintendent revealed that Marth's arrest was brought to their attention by authorities.
"As a practice, the school district does not comment on ongoing criminal matters or personnel matters," David Piperato said of the disgraced educator. "However, the school district intends to cooperate fully with the authorities in this matter and will take all necessary action to ensure the safety of our students."
Following her arrest on Thursday, Marth was released on a $75,000 non-secured bail.