SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa (WJAC) — Authorities say a Somerset County therapist is facing charges following an investigation into allegations that she repeatedly sexually assaulted one of her patients at a local youth home.
According to the affidavit, troopers received multiple Childline reports regarding alleged inappropriate contact and conversations between 30-year-old Kayla Howard, of Berlin, and multiple juveniles at the Somerset County Youth Aid Home.
Police say Howard was reportedly employed at the home as a licensed therapist.
Investigators say last month, troopers interviewed a teenage boy, who told police that he was enrolled as a student in the "Partial Program" at the home last summer.
Police say the teen, who was 14 at the time, disclosed that Howard allegedly performed sex acts on him, approximately 7 or 8 times, during one-on-one therapy sessions.
Troopers say, according to the victim, one of the sessions also involved he and Howard engaging in sexual intercourse.
Authorities say the victim described Howard as an "authority figure" and stated that she reportedly told him that if he refused to engage in the sexual acts, she would report him for "refusing to talk to her."
Police say the victim stated that he complied so that he could stay at the youth home for longer.
According to online court records, Howard faces a variety of charges, headlined by rape-forcible compulsion, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and institutional sexual assault of a minor.
Officials say a warrant was issued for her arrest and she was taken into custody over the weekend.
6 News reached out to the Somerset County Youth Aid Home and were told that they have no comment on the investigation.
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