NEW YORK
The Journal News
Jonathan Bandler, jbandler@lohud.com May 2, 2016
State police are investigating a video purporting to show a school principal in close physical contact with a young boy in the Orange County village of Kiryas Joel.
The video was widely circulated on the internet Monday.
The video camera appears to have been in the ceiling of the principal’s office. An 11-minute version of the video shows a man sitting down at a desk and drawing the young boy to him. As the boys stands between the man’s legs, the man appears to stroke the boy’s face and kiss him several times, shaking him occasionally and pulling him closer. Both remain clothed.
An administrator at the ultra Orthodox Jewish school, United Talmudical Academy, could not be reached. A call to the principal was not returned.
“We have received the video. We have looked at it,” Major Joseph Tripodo, commander of New York State Police Troop F in Middletown said. Tripodo said state police investigators have been looking into the matter along with the District Attorney’s Office and the Orange County Child Abuse Unit. He said it was premature to say whether a crime was committed.
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