St. Helens HS principal turns self in, faces 6 criminal charges stemming from teacher sex abuse scandal
ST. HELENS, Ore. (KGW/KTVZ) — St. Helens High School Principal Dr. Katy Wagner turned herself in to Columbia County Sheriff's Office deputies Wednesday morning, St. Helens police said, a day after she was indicted on criminal charges and a warrant was issued, KGW reported.
She has been charged with two counts of criminal mistreatment and four counts of official misconduct stemming from an ongoing sex abuse scandal involving multiple teachers at the high school, according to an indictment filed Tuesday in Columbia County Circuit Court. Wagner is lodged at the Columbia County Jail, St. Helens police said. She is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon.
Wagner was previously placed on administrative leave by the St. Helens School District board and was confirmed to be the subject of an investigation by the Oregon Department of Human Services, but an indictment marks the first time she has faced criminal charges in the scandal.
The scandal broke out two weeks ago when current St. Helens High School teacher Eric Stearns and retired teacher Mark Collins were both arrested following a months-long police investigation and charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse, sparking outrage among students and parents, many of whom accused Wagner and other district leaders of ignoring or suppressing reports of sexual abuse for years.
The two criminal mistreatment charges in the Wagner indictment specifically name Stearns and Collins, asserting that Wagner "did unlawfully and knowingly withhold necessary and adequate physical care from the students of St. Helens High School" in regard to the two teachers from November 2018 to November 2024.
The four misconduct charges are less specific, accusing Wagner of failing to comply with mandatory child abuse reporting requirements under state law and having "consciously disregarded the fact that the violation created a risk of the commission of a sex crime against a vulnerable person."
Two of the misconduct charges are first-degree, which is a Class A misdemeanor, and two of them are second-degree, a class C misdemeanor. The two criminal mistreatment charges are Class C felonies.
KGW reached out to Wagner's residence on Tuesday, and they refused to comment.
Investigators are looking for additional information about Wagner and are concerned about whether mandatory reports have not been completed. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact detectives Edwards and Smith at 503-397-1521.
