Six MCC alleged female abuse victims and their parents testify in court
A group of six young girls and their parents on Monday had their day in court, two years after the beginning of what would be a journey no child or family should have to travel.
They were there to tell a judge the impact that alleged incidents in 2022-23 at West Elementary School in Slayton has had on their lives.
Former MCC fifthgrade teacher Nathan Wieneke was charged with six counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of third-degree witness tampering. A criminal complaint alleged that in 2023, a group of students at West Elementary in Slayton reported to a paraprofessional that Wieneke had touched them inappropriately. The students told investigators that Wieneke would put his hand under their shirts, rub their backs and touch their backside when they went up to his desk to ask questions.
Wieneke was charged with six felony counts of criminal sexual contact in the second degree and two misdemeanor charges of witness tampering. The charges stemmed from alleged incidents that happened from Sept. 6, 2022, through April 19, 2023.
Emotions rain high at Monday’s hearing, so much so that a couple of the alleged victims couldn’t bring themselves to read their own written statements. In those cases, either their mother or father spoke for them by reading their statements.
“I want things back the way they were before this all happened,” said the mother of one of the alleged victims as she read her daughter’s statement. “Being a victim has affected me by doubting if I should trust anyone anymore. I am fearful of seeing him in public in years to come. In fifth grade, my teacher touched me inappropriately. It made me feel scared, angry,
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You got us to trust you … I didn’t know what to do when you broke that trust. You have ruined my life, you’ve ruined all of ours. Telling on you was the best decision we’ve ever made.
— EXCERPT FROM A VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT scared and confused. I trusted him as a teacher to teach and keep me safe not to hurt me. What he did to me wasn’t a mistake, he knew what he was doing and how to groom me.”
Some of the girls testified that they now hate school and didn’t want to return. Some said they’ve lost friends and wished they could be homeschooled. They said no matter how much time passes, what allegedly happened two years ago will stay with them the rest of their lives.
Another girl said that the school year that year started normal, but things changed for the worse when the alleged assaults began.
“Being only 11, I didn’t know if what you were doing was OK or not,” she wrote. “You got us to trust you … I didn’t know what to do when you broke that trust. You have ruined my life, you’ve ruined all of ours. Telling on you was the best decision we’ve ever made, but we have to deal with you getting away with all of this. It’s because of you I hate school and never want to go back.”
Parents were allowed to read their own statements as well and spoke about how unfair it is that Wieneke wasn’t sentenced to jail, saying that he shouldn’t have been allowed to get only a “slap on the wrist.” Some also said how the alleged incidents has changed their personality for the worse. The parents also blame themselves, feeling guilty about not protecting their children.
“You were supposed to teach and keep our daughters safe,” one mother said. “Instead, you chose to hurt and betray her and us all.”
Wieneke, who maintains his innocence, faced no jail time, as the outcome of the trial was a Continuance for Dismissal, which is an agreement between a defendant and the prosecutor where the prosecution is suspended for a specified period, during which the defendant must meet certain conditions. If the defendant successfully fulfills the conditions, the case is dismissed. On Feb. 19, parties in the criminal case filed an agreement to suspend prosecution until May 31, 2030, according to court documents.
Wieneke avoided a trial but is required to follow certain conditions, including that he have his teaching license revoked, that he have no contact with the alleged victims, and that he not work with minors. If Wieneke violates any of the conditions in the next five years, prosecution of his case could restart again.
One of the parents said Monday that Wieneke has already violated the conditions by showing up at a sporting event earlier this year. Wieneke’s attorney argued Monday that that should not be put on the record since it hadn’t been proven.
One of the girls spoke briefly with the Headlight Herald after the hearing, saying, “I feel better knowing that now people know about it. I feel better knowing that he could go to jail for this.”
