Crime

Malden High School employee accused of raping disabled student

August 9, 2016

1 minute to read

A Malden man accused of raping a disabled student while he working as a paraprofessional at the town’s high school was arraigned Tuesday in Middlesex Superior Court.

Steven MacDonald, 46, was charged with two counts of rape, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a disabled person, and one count of assault with intent to rape, according to the Middlesex District Attorney’s office.

The DA’s office said MacDonald began working in the victim’s classroom at Malden High School beginning in September 2015. MacDonald frequently brought the victim into the bathroom to assist the student with toileting, according to the DA’s office. During those times, the DA’s office said he repeatedly sexually assaulted the victim. MacDonald also allegedly threatened he would kill the student’s mother if he did not follow his demands, according to the DA’s office.

The victim reported the assaults to his mother and doctors in March 2016. The school was notified and MacDonald was immediately placed on leave, according to the DA’s office.

MacDonald was released on personal recognizance and ordered to stay away from, and have no contact with, the victim and his family. He was also ordered to have no unsupervised contact with children under the age of 18 and not to volunteer or work with any children under the age of 18. He must report to Malden police Tuesday for booking photographs and fingerprinting.