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Lansing School Employee Charged With Having Sex With Student Save Email Print
Posted: 4:59 PM Jul 17, 2008
Last Updated: 8:29 PM Jul 17, 2008
Reporter: Lauren Zakalik
Email Address: lauren.zakalik@wilx.com

A | A | A

Seven counts of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree-- that's what 32-year-old Lansing schools employee Carrie Alice Denbow is facing now, stemming from what authorities say was a sexual relationship she had with a 15-year-old male student.

"If these charges are true, this is a serious and gross breach of trust between a staff person and student," says Lansing school board president Hugh Clarke, Jr.

Clarke says Denbow's been a Lansing Schools employee since January 2001, working as a student assistance provider at the Hill Center.

"The victim was one of those [students]," Clarke says.

Denbow was arraigned Thursday on those seven felony charges and an additional misdemeanor for domestic assault and battery.

The charges say she'd been involved with the boy from January 2006 until December 2007.

Throughout the arraignment, Denbow rolled her eyes and seemed shocked she was even there.

Some of the charges allege that Denbow had sexual relations with the student on school property at Hill, as well as at MSU, in Delta Township and at another Lansing address.

"There's cause for concern these things were taking place in the building," Clarke says.

Denbow's family was in the courtroom, including her father, Terry Denbow, Vice President of University Relations for MSU.

Denbow has been on paid administrative leave from the school district since december. Clarke says the district is consulting attorneys to find out their options.

"If these allegations are true, you can't justify it," he says.

Denbow is out right now on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond.

She's restricted from having any unsupervised contact with minors and cannot step on school property.

Her next court appearance is July 25th.

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Posted by: Sam Location: Portland on Jul 21, 2008 at 04:23 PM
She is very likely innocent. She somehow angered the kid and he got even by making up stuff. This could very well be possible. I hope the rest of you will look at other possibilities.

Posted by: Kim Location: Michigan on Jul 21, 2008 at 09:40 AM
She was also employed at Meridian Professional Psychological Consultants in Okemos, as a child therapist. It should also be told that the director, Dr. Gunnings, is good friends with none other than Stewart Dunnings. Interesting that her other employ was never mentioned in the media....

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 18, 2008 at 08:15 PM
heobphile,not pedophile heobphiles like preprubesent teens

Posted by: John Location: Lansing on Jul 18, 2008 at 03:36 PM
The older mature adult should take the blame. She abused her position of trust in this adolescent boys life and took advantage of him. He is not even close to being fully mature or having an understanding of the repercussions of their actions, she on the other hand is a 32 year old woman. That is disturbing. Almost all women mature faster than us men. As teenagers they are already more mature, and the age gap here is criminal and she should face the charges, and if found guilty, be sent to federal prison as a pedophile.

Posted by: Jeff Location: Lansing on Jul 18, 2008 at 10:46 AM
I see a made-for-tv movie in the works!!

Posted by: Jack Location: Lansing on Jul 18, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Looks like to me he enjoyed it for how long of period? He didn't have any trouble until she hit him,and then runs home to mama saying what a bad lady did to me.Lets face it it is not right ,but the teacher should not take all the blame when it went on for that long of time period.He is old enough to know better.Ask yourself when was your first time and how old were you !!!!!

Posted by: Shel23 Location: Lansing on Jul 18, 2008 at 09:50 AM
What happened to 'innocent until proven guilty'? Let me play devil's advocate - her career as a teacher, whether found innocent or guilty, is probably over. Lets say she is found innocent - what consequences are there for the punk who made the false allegations?

Posted by: Katie Location: Lansing on Jul 18, 2008 at 08:32 AM
Could everyone please remember that she is not and was not a teacher.

Posted by: Justice Location: Lansing on Jul 18, 2008 at 08:01 AM
This is disgusting. She preyed on a young male, a ward of the court, that was at least 17 to 19 years younger than she is. She was in a position of trust and should have been protecting him, not taking advantage of him. How can they give her Personal Recognizance Bond. Ingham County - what a joke.

Posted by: Kristy Location: MI on Jul 17, 2008 at 09:37 PM
Hey I know the dating world is tough, and a good man is difficult to find, BUT OMG! THIS is DISGUSTING!This is a KID, and it is ILLEGAL! This is a sexual Predator, and The USA needs to start treating these women the same as if a MAN did this to a 15 yr old. PUT em in PRISON, and make them register as a sex offender! What?is it open season for teachers to pick out a child for sex? It is sickening and these type of people need alot of counseling!While they are behind bars.

Posted by: steve Location: St. Johns on Jul 17, 2008 at 06:30 PM
Couldn't she find more her age than 13-15 year old

WILX Poll
Should The Government Have A Stake In The Big 3?

Yes
No


Expert: Big 3 Failure Would Be Disaster
Expert: Big 3 Failure Would Be Disaster
  • Posted By: craigIf anyone in power was really concerned with helping people of lesser means we would be talking about bring jobs back to the USA where we can prosper and be proud of hard work again. how about a bailout for the countless unemployed AMERICANS, or parents on the brink of disaster that will last a lifetime.
  • Posted By: craiggovernment should help automakers at this point, however to say they (auto makers) are not responsible for the recession is absurd. how many more jobs can they push overseas before there will be no one left to purchase their products anyhow?
  • Posted By: BuzzWhy should the Big 3 be bailed out? GM wants to sell off our discontinue the Saturn, which is affordable but has made no mention of discontinuing the Corvette and other less affordable models. If GM wants help have them pick one particular model in each of its lines, i.e. the Lacrosse for Buick, Impala for Chevrolet and the Aura for Saturn. GM is about as impervious as the out-going President is - they just don't get it! I read and sympathize with the line workers who say they can't even afford to buy a new car from the company that they work for - that's pretty sad and certainly doesn't promote company solidarity. Like I've said before, make the Big 3 sell what's sitting at all the dealerships even if they have to take a loss before making another automobile. Why keep making what nobody wants at prices nobody wants to pay?
  • Posted By: BethThe Big 3 failure would be a major disaster - I agree. However, I don't feel that the government or tax payers should bail them out until they have made the same kinds of concessions that citizens, small business, and union members have already made. Begin by severely downsizing the execs and their benefits i.e. luxuries. Times are tough and they should share in the "recession life style" is part of the reason for decreased car sales. I need a newer car badly, but it's not on my shopping list any time soon. They are flying and driving nice cars. Get real! The union members have suffered considerable cuts already including loss of workers, benefits and wages. Make equal cuts in management, wages, and benefits, then look at union members' additional concessions, and financial aide from the government.
  • Posted By: jonlike i said we the workers will and are getting hurt.they gain we lose
  • Posted By: METhank you UAW, if the union would not have barganed until the big 3 couldn't afford it any more we would all be able to afford nice cars. I was in the union before and it definently isnt all peaches and cream. Sure they will fight to get you more but look what it has done.. Workers recieved more then the company could afford and now more may lose everything. Thanks again UAW. It is flat out B.S. that the government will bail out huge corporations but only give the autos a loan. Its all for the politicians gain, main street America has been hurting alot longer then wall street, but wall street affected the politicians pocket so they did something about it. Mr & Mrs politician help us out, cut your pay & benefits.......quit cutting ours.
  • Posted By: LegallyRadTo Explain: If the banks were not bailed out, that would have affected the big 3, and every other business that deals with the banks (show me one that doesn't). This has nothing to do with Bush. Big 3 are very poorly run, and concede too much to organized labor. The bail out will first be essentially worthless since it will amount to a drop in a bucket, and the companies just blow cash. They need to fail to preserve our American capitalistic economy. Chances are only one or two of them will go out of business, but if they properly restructure then they could be saved... restructuring means cutting labor costs and consolidating products. If you want to blame something, it's mostly due to the mortgage crisis which began with Carter and Clinton who refused to allow banks to ensure that people could actually pay for their loans because they felt it might be discrimination. Look where that policy got us. Bush just happens to be in office when their poorly built floor calapsed.
  • Posted By: MicheleI cannot believe that they are not going to bail out the Big 3.Ford is not even sure it is going to need the money. And why do the banks get bailouts with no questions asked but they make the Big 3 jump through hoops of fire and all they want to do is borrow the money...... Reid is an idiot, and doesn't have a clue of how manufacturing works and what the ramifications down the road will be. Including restraurant, stores, and other service industries closing and going out of business due to lack of business. Let's keep America working!
  • Posted By: George Bush did not run our country in the ditch. He crash it stright into the wall at 100/mph.
  • Posted By: patthis is one more reason we need to thank George Bush for running our country into the ditch!

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