A health assistant at a southwest suburban elementary school was charged Thursday with sexual abuse after officials investigated illicit text messages she allegedly sent to teenage boys.
Laura Obzera, 49, was interviewed by Bolingbrook police and the state Department of Children and Family Services after reports of Òpossible inappropriate text messages of a sexual natureÓ being sent between Obzera and three boys, according to a release from police. During the investigation, police identified three boys who allegedly had physical sexual contact with Obzera in 2006, the release said. She was charged with three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Obzera, of Bolingbrook, is employed by the Valley View School District and, according to the Wood View Elementary School Web site, she works as a health assistant there.
ÒAt this point in the investigation, there is no reason to believe that any criminal behavior occurred on any school property, or that Obzera met her teen victims through her employment,Ó the release said. She was arrested just before 2 p.m. at the Bolingbrook police station, and was later released on $5,000 bail, the release said. DCFS officials and police have interviewed the abuse victims and continue to investigate.
Obzera will appear in Will County Criminal Court in Joliet at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 2.
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