Police Arrest Teacher After Lewd Photos Found On Teen’s Cell Phone
Klewer
Published: July 16, 2009
Updated: July 16, 2009
LEBANON, Va – Eighth-grade science teacher Connie Beth Klewer sports a wide, friendly grin in the faculty photo posted on the Web page for the Lebanon Middle School.
Not so in the jailhouse mugshot snapped last week. The 37-year-old is being held without bond at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Abingdon on charges of taking indecent liberties with a child.
Obscene photos found on a teenage boy’s cell phone July 9 grabbed the attention of the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, according to a search warrant filed Monday in the county courthouse.
The boy and his mother handed deputies “obscene and explicit photographs that had been sent to the child from the suspect, Connie Beth Klewer, via telephone and computer,” sheriff’s Deputy David McCown wrote in the search warrant.
Chief Deputy Bill Watson declined Wednesday to say whether Klewer once taught the boy. Watson did confirm that the boy is younger than 15 years old.
County Commonwealth’s Attorney Brian K. Patton declined in a news statement to disclose specifics of the case. He did not immediately return a call for comment Wednesday.
Klewer’s neighbors had even less information.
The science teacher lives in a red-shuttered, single story home at 46 Duff Street in Lebanon, nearly two blocks from the county courthouse. Lawn chairs and a table clutter the wide front porch. A thermometer in the shape of a snowman hangs on the front door.
The house was vacant Wednesday.
To one elderly man, Klewer was the woman who waved hello and goodbye every day. He saw her only when she parked by the curb or when she drove away.
An elderly woman said Klewer caught the neighborhood’s attention only after her arrest.
“Nobody here knows anything about her,” the woman said.
Neighbors began to pay attention the evening of July 7, when the elderly woman said three sheriff’s deputies parked on Klewer’s front curb.
Hours after seeing the photos, the search warrant shows, sheriff’s deputies carted computers, cell phones and disposable cameras out of Klewer’s home.
Deputies arrested Klewer the same day.
She is charged with single counts of using a communications device to solicit a minor, buying alcohol for a minor, indecent liberties with a child while in a supervisory relationship, indecent liberties with a child, abuse and neglect of a child while being responsible for the care of a child, and possession of child pornography.
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Reader Reactions
USmarine,
I repect all people who have served and are serving in the armed forces, and I respect that all people have opinions. You talk about background checks of people who are hired by Russell County Schools. Two-thirds of our school board members have known Connie since she started school at the age of five. At least four generations (that I know) of her paternal and maternal relatives have gone to school in Russell County. Thousands of people know Connie in this county; she is no stranger!!
Commonsense,
No, I have not seen the daughter’s cell phone pictures,but statistics told on the national news states that 70 per cent of teens are sexting on cell phones! (If you have children, I hope they fall into the 30 per cent who are not sexting.) I see hundreds of teens per day at school, and the majority have cell phones. They are not allowed to use them except before school and after school, but I’m not so naive to believe that they don’t use them at school; they probably do. I don’t have to go to the commonwealth attorney because the sheriff in Russell County knows all the teachers, classmates, and extended family of Connie Klewer. If Mr. Patton wants to know about her character, he can ask Sheriff (Steve) Dye where to find Connie’s former elementary and high school teachers, former classmates, and former high school principal and assistant principal. I don’t think Mr. Patton would be interested, but Connie’s attorney will be interested!
Enough said!!!!!!!!
Yes everyone pays for their sins, and only God can judge those sins, so lets stop playing God on here, I know its a small town up there but there has to be more exciting stuff to do than place you judgements on this woman
In terms of being a christian…I will pay for my sins and she will pay for her sins…And she should of thought about her children FIRST…But she hasnt been proven guilty…nor innocent..
I would like to say, anyone whether it be teacher parent,or any other adult, should be punished for any kind of sexual abuse to a child.I to would like to say that “This IS NOT the first,“I am an adult and live outside Russell County now but I graduated from the Russell County School system,and Yes there are great teachers there but let me tell you like the person commented this is not the FIRST,,in the 1970’s there was actually hands on sexual abuse by some, not teachers but “Assistant Principal”.I know several girls that one Assist.Principal abused his authority to SEXUALLY ABUSE,and I totally agree with the person who commented “not the first"Since the statue of limitation has been lifted for sexual abuse,those with “skeletons in their closet” should be AWARE ,their picture might be the next one plastered on BHC.
I am going to have to agree that it was irresponsible reporting to publish her address at this stage in the investigation.
Legal or not, it isn’t right.
I don’t know this woman personally and I don’t know what truly happened, but I do know that a person is innocent until proven guilty.
I can see the possibilities spoken in previous posts that someone else may have had access to her cell phone. The general public does not know all the facts.
Before I get bombarded with hate filled responses to my post, let me say that I in no way condone what she has been accused of and if she is indeed guilty she should pay the price.
If she is not guilty, her life will be ruined because of this and for anyone who thinks she will somehow become filthy rich with some sort of lawsuit for being falsely accused, it doesn’t work that way.
My comment on suspicion and somebody must have seen this beforehand is general in nature and not directed at this teacher hereby alledged to be involved here.
After you give the Russell County School Board a handshake for bringing these people to light, why not call and ask them if they have ever heard of “background checks” before hiring, or teacher “inclinations”. Somebody must of seen this before it all started because there was a little “suspicion” beforehand about all this. Nobody has said this, but I would like to commend the child (victim) and his parents for exposing this. ( exposing may not be a good word, sorry) OK, A big HIGH 5 for Russell County!!!!
Hello Russell County! Does anyone in this County think this is the first teacher?? We have some great teachers in this County; however, some bad apples make them all smell. This has been going on for years. Sooo…all you teachers out there that have “skeltons” in your closets that you had contact with our children that you knew was wrong, wake up, it just might be you next in the BHC. Lets not be so quick to judge, we have some great teachers, give them credit. Let’s all wait and see if this lady is guilty. Anyone can say anything about you, but proving it is a different story. I for one know that we have had bad apples in the school system, but hopefully, our school board is trying to do a better job at hiring good teachers. Stand up and give Russell County a hand shake for trying to get these teachers out of our system. We live here and we have a great County!
Yes she has repented, and true there is freedom of speech, but there is also innocent til proven guilty, and by everyones eyes she is guilty. I am not in a position to discuss more details while the case is still open, but Im not just going to sit here while everyone talks down about someone who is close to me and I love. But its amazing how quick we are to believe what ever the paper puts out to the public. Just put yourself in my shoes, you would stick up for your family too, if they were in this position.
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