A Newton elementary school teacher who once fit in with the “close-knit” school community was allegedly found with hundreds of pornographic images of children on his computer.
David Ettlinger, 34, of Allston, pleaded not guilty during his arraignment yesterday. He was ordered held without bail pending an arraignment today on more charges.
Ettlinger worked as a second and third-grade teacher at the Underwood School for 12 years until he was placed on paid leave yesterday when school officials got word of the charges.
Ettlinger was arrested at his Commonwealth Avenue apartment yesterday. Police searched his home and found “multiple image files depicting children under 18 in sexualized contexts,” according to the Suffolk district attorney’s office.
“Those who possess [child pornography] are supporting the rape and exploitation of innocents who are helpless to defend themselves. Those who create it – as the evidence suggests this defendant did – victimize those children not just once but over and over again every time it’s viewed, shared, and transmitted,” District Attorney Daniel Conley said in a statement.
Authorities said that among the files were images of a girl who is know to investigators. The girl is a family friend and not a student, authorities said, and she was about 12 years old when the images were created.
Authorities also alleged that Ettlinger had multiple pairs of girls underwear in his apartment and collected the pairs, which were left at public places.
David Fleishman, superintendent of Newton schools, said officials have received no complaints of Ettlinger from students or parents.
“Stunned. Stunned,” Fleishman said when asked about his thoughts on the charges.
Fleishman said a background check on employees is done every three years and that one run on Ettlinger last year revealed no issues.
Crisis teams were at the school yesterday.
