Former Gage Park charter school teacher charged with sexual abuse

A former teacher at a Southwest Side charter high school has been charged with sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy.

Megan Kotarski, 28, was charged with a felony count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim between 13 and 18 years old, according to Chicago Police.

Kotarski, who lives in Oak Lawn, is accused of having sexual contact with the boy between June 16 and 18, police said. She turned herself in at the Harrison District police station.

Police confirmed that the charge against Kotarski stemmed from an investigation that began earlier this month into alleged misconduct by a teacher at Horizon Science Academy Southwest Chicago at 5401 S. Western Ave. in the Gage Park neighborhood.

“As the allegations involved a minor, the school contacted the [Illinois] Department of Children and Family Services and Chicago Police,” Christopher Murphy, director of strategic growth & PR for Concept Schools, said at the time.

The school’s administration began an internal investigation on Nov. 6, Murphy said. As a result of that investigation, Kotarski, who had worked at the school since 2014, officially resigned Nov. 10.

A DCFS spokeswoman confirmed that the agency is investigating the case and that the investigation is pending.

Kotarski was expected to appear in court for a bond hearing Wednesday, police said.