Michigan Special Ed Teacher Sexually Assaulted Student: Report

ALPENA, MI — A special education teacher in northern Michigan is being accused of sexually assaulting a boy starting from the age of 11. According to reports, the boy told police it happened more than 100 times since 2016.

Judge Thomas LaCross ruled Friday that there's enough evidence indicating Heather Winfield had an improper relationship with a student for the case to go to trial, the Associated Press reported.

WDIV reported that Winfield faces multiple charges of criminal sexual conduct with a child younger than 13. The Thunder Bay Junior High School teacher resigned from the Alpena school after district officials investigated the allegations in October 2016, the report said.

Winfield's attorneys are trying to get the case thrown out because of lack of physical evidence, reports say.

Winfield's history as an educator paints a picture of a dedicated professional who connected with her students, according to the Alpena News. Read the full story here.