Retired Girard College teacher and Boy Scout troop leader charged with sexually abusing student
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A former Girard College teacher and Boy Scout troop leader was charged after allegedly sexually assaulting a student for two years during his time at the school, the Delaware County District Attorney's Office said Monday.
Keith Steininger, 68, was charged with sexual contact with a student, indecent assault of a person less than 13, unlawful contact with a minor, endangering the welfare of a child and other related offenses, less than two years after he retired from Girard College in 2022.
Steininger worked at Girard College -- a college preparatory boarding school for students grades 1-12 who come from families with limited financial resources and a single parent or guardian -- for 41 years.
The investigation into the long-tenured teacher began after Upland Borough police received a report in January from a concerned foster parent who said her foster child disclosed that he was sexually assaulted during his time at Girard, police said.
According to police, the former student alleged Steininger touched him inappropriately from 2018 to 2020 while he was staying with him. The former student was between the ages of 11 to 13 years old during the period of abuse.
The former student alleged the sexual abuse ended once he left Girard and stopped spending time with Steininger at the former teacher's home, according to police.
During an interview with the Delaware County Child Advocacy Center in February, the former student showed detectives text messages from Steininger.
Later, on April 11, Steininger acknowledged the sexual abuse and apologized for it over a phone call with the former student.
Since Steininger's work at Girard College spanned over four decades, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer believes that more victims have yet to come forward.
"Sadly, we believe that -- given the defendant's long tenure working with children -- it is very likely that additional victims will come forward. We ask that anyone with information contact the Upland Police Department at 610-872-3040 x 207 or the Detective Sgt. Steve Bannar of the Criminal Investigations Division at 610-891-4118."
CBS News Philadelphia reached out to Girard College for a statement and has not heard back yet.