A track and field coach in Pennsylvania was charged with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy she coached, telling authorities that she was romantically involved with him. Per prosecutors, the 26-year-old javelin coach and teacher had the sexual relationship while coaching for the Northampton Area High School track and field program.
Hannah Marth was arrested after authorities learned she allegedly was involved in an intimate relationship with the Northampton Area High School track and field athlete, prosecutors allege. Marth of Lehigh Township, Pennsylvania, an area between Philadelphia and Scranton, has been charged with institutional sexual assault and sexual assault by a sports official by the Northampton County District Attorney’s Office. Both offenses are third-degree felonies.
Relationship Between Coach Hannah Martin And Young Victim?
Authorities allege that Marth texted the young victim at 2 a.m. in May 2021, inviting him to her home, where the two allegedly had sex, the Northampton district attorney said in a news release. She reportedly confessed to the act to authorities. The victim told police he and Marth were in a relationship that lasted until October of 2022, per a district attorney’s office press release.
“A trusted relationship between a student-athlete, an athlete’s parent, and a coach can be a vulnerable one,” District Attorney Terence Houck said to 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.”
Marth is now an Easton Area School District teacher. Easton Superintendent David Piperato said in a statement that her new school was made aware of her arrest and they were cooperating with authorities “and will take all necessary action to ensure the safety of our students.”
“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.”
She was reportedly arraigned on Thursday afternoon and freed on $75,000 unsecured bail.
Who Is Hannah Marth
In 2014, Marth was listed as a scholar/athlete at the same high school. She was reportedly a standout track and field team member when she attended Northampton competing in the javelin events in high school. According to Lehigh Valley Live, she was named the Express-Times girls’ track-and-field athlete of the week.
“Marth won her second straight Lehigh Valley Conference girls javelin championship on Tuesday with a throw of 117 feet. Her best effort this season was 121-4 in an April 28 dual meet against Nazareth,” reported Lehigh Valley Live in 2014.
She went on from high school to compete at the NCAA Division II level at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania.
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