On Thursday, Pennsylvania authorities reported the arrest of 26-year-old high school javelin coach Hannah Marth, who faces charges of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old track athlete.
The Northhampton County District Attorney’s office revealed that Marth and the Northampton Area High School athlete had been in a romantic relationship from May 2021 until October 2022. Marth reportedly confessed to the relationship during the investigation.
Authorities say that Marth texted the victim in May 2021, inviting him to her residence around 2 a.m., where she initiated sexual contact. This encounter has led to the sexual assault charges against her.
Northhampton District Attorney Terence Houck stated, “A trusted relationship between a student athlete, an athlete’s parent, and a coach can be a vulnerable one. An abuse of that relationship shows a coach’s blatant disregard for the well-being of those she or he coached, and above all — the law. This defendant defied that trust when she committed this alleged crime against the victim.”
In addition to the legal ramifications, Marth’s career is also at risk. She works as a middle school special education teacher in the Easton Area School District. Her teaching page has been removed as of Friday morning.
Marth, a former Northampton high school javelin thrower and East Stroudsburg University graduate, began her teaching career in the fall of 2019. After spending four years obtaining a degree, her career in education lasted about 3.5 years.
Though she is presumed innocent until proven guilty, Marth has already admitted to the relationship, which casts a shadow over her teaching career. She was arraigned on Thursday afternoon and is currently free on a $75,000 bond.
