The mother and father of a 15-year-old boy are asking police to press charges in the latest developments in a case involving a Londonderry High School teacher accused of sending nude photos of herself to their son.
The boy's parents say Melinda Dennehy violated her bail conditions when she and the teen ended up at the same gymnastics meet Saturday in Hampstead.
"We want action taken, that's the bottom line in this," said the father, who spoke to the New Hampshire Union Leader yesterday on the condition his name not be released to protect the identity of his son.
The father said he believes there is "no question" Dennehy was within 100 yards of his son, a breach of the bail conditions set after she was charged with a felony count of indecent exposure earlier this month.
"Something should have been done on Saturday," he said. "On Sunday. On Monday. It's not justice."
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Dennehy, 41, taught sophomore-level English classes at the school. She was put on paid administrative leave after being arrested.
According to the arresting affidavit, Dennehy also kissed the 15-year-old boy on school grounds and offered to perform a sex act on him.
The father suggested that there is a double standard regarding the case. Had the teacher been a man and the student a 15-year-old girl, public reaction would be different, he said. The family is still trying to come to grips with the arrest, the mother said, adding the family had moved to Londonderry in part because of the reputation of the school district.
"That was my number-one reason for wanting to come here; it was a good school system," the mother said. "We are a young family just trying to get through this."
As for the nude pictures, the parents said they have made no decision regarding their fate.
"We understand that there are multiple media agencies interested," the father said. "It may end up being a situation over who ends up wanting them the most, but no decisions have been made in any way."
Both the 15-year-old and Dennehy were at the Phanzone, a 70,000-square-foot gym complex in Hampstead, for a gymnastics meet Saturday involving members of their families, the student's father said. The event's organizers contacted both parties just prior to the event notifying them the other was expected to be present.
The father said Dennehy refused to leave the building, leaving him and his son to watch the event from a side room with a window out onto the event floor.
The room the gymnastics event was held in is approximately 11,000 square feet.
"We were pushed to this back room while they stayed in the stands," the father said. "He (the alleged victim) sat there and tried to support his sister, but she (Dennehy) was there, looking at me, looking at my kids."
The father said he called Londonderry police before the family arrived regarding a possible violation of bail conditions. The call was relayed to Hampstead Police, who said they went to the gym and made contact with Dennehy's husband, John, but not the boy's parents.
Any further investigation into the claim required a formal complaint by the family, Hampstead police Lt. John Frazier said. As of noon yesterday, the department had not heard from the victim's family, Frazier said.
The student's father said after waiting for a follow-up call from Hampstead Police, he and his wife called the department late yesterday afternoon. No investigating officers were on duty at the time, the father said, so the family left a message and are awaiting a response.
Dennehy is scheduled to appear in a probable cause hearing at Derry District Court on April 26.