Source: Va. teacher, teen girl found in parking lot were partially undressed
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - There is new information in the case of a Fairfax County middle school teacher who was arrested and charged with contributing to delinquency of minor.
Parents with children at Walt Whitman Middle School in Alexandria were told that one of the school's longtime teachers, Michael Sweeney, had been arrested after police found him in a car in the middle of the night with a 16-year-old girl.
Whitman principal Roger Vanderhye sent out this letter to parents Monday night:
"Dear Parents,
"We regret to inform you about an unfortunate situation involving one of our teachers, Mr. Michael Sweeney, who was arrested yesterday by Fairfax County Police and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The arrest of Mr. Sweeney was in connection with an alleged incident involving a 16 year old juvenile. In response, Mr. Sweeney has been removed from the classroom and suspended. Additional details about the case are contained in the Fairfax County Police Department release below:
"This is now an ongoing police investigation, as well as a personnel issue, and I am not at liberty to discuss this information in any detail beyond what I have shared here. If you have any questions or concerns about this or other school related matters, please do not hesitate to contact my office."
Sweeney taught technology education at the school. A spokesman for Fairfax County Public Schools described the position as a modern-day version of a shop teacher. Sweeney has taught at the school for 15 years.
A source close to the investigation said when Sweeney was found in the parking lot with the girl, they were both partially undressed.
On Tuesday, Fairfax County police sent us this statement:
"Our Detectives are actively working the case. While there aren't any other known victims at this time, we encourage anyone who may have any information to contact us. We will update the community with any new developments in the case."
As of now, Sweeney is out and only charged with a misdemeanor because the girl was 16. The police investigation will be looking into the history of the alleged affair to see if it started when she was 15, which would make the charge a felony.
Police will also search warrants to determine if Sweeney has evidence leading to other victims. We will keep you updated as this investigation continues.