Assault victims address former teacher in Slayton courtroom

Yahoo

06-05-2025

May 6—SLAYTON — Raw emotion along with many shed tears were displayed Monday afternoon in the Murray County Courthouse in Slayton.
Six juvenile victims and their family members read victim impact statements before Judge Michelle Dietrich and defendant Nathan Wieneke, a former Murray County Central math teacher in Slayton, during the hearing. The statements were read as part of an agreement suspending prosecution of Wieneke's case.
In September 2023, Weineke was
charged
with six felonies involving criminal sexual misconduct with six students who were, at the time, attending West Elementary School in Slayton.
According to the police report, the students stated Wieneke touched them inappropriately and under clothing when they would go up to his desk for help. He reportedly also made comments that made the students feel "weird." One of the students disclosed that Wieneke told them, "You are a beautiful blonde."
A few witnesses, including other students in the class, corroborated the victims' stories, according to the law enforcement report. They said they saw Wieneke touch various victims and also heard about it from other classmates.
A jury trial was previously set to take place in November 2024, but was ultimately rescheduled to March. In between that period of time, Murray County Attorney Travis Smith filed an Agreement to Suspend Prosecution document, halting the trial. Why Smith chose this route, instead of prosecuting Wieneke for the crimes, is unknown.
On Feb. 19, Smith filed the Continuance for Dismissal, allowing for Wieneke's charges to be dismissed after a certain period of time has passed and if Wieneke meets all the stipulations listed within the document. Among the stipulations was Wieneke's attendance at Monday's hearing and listening to the victim impact statements.
Other stipulations in place for the next five years, from May 2025 to May 2030, include Wieneke having his state teaching license revoked, revoking a request for a hearing in front of the MCC Board of Education about his employment, having no contact with any of the victims, not going within 100 yards of wherever each of the six victims reside and not being employed or volunteer for any position that involves contact with minors under the age of 18.
Wieneke is also excluded from various educational/extracurricular activities and community events where any of the victims could be. According to the document, if any of the victims are seen by Wieneke in the future, he must depart the premises immediately. He must also continue therapy for the next five years and not petition to have the current charges expunged from his record.
If at any point in the next five years Wieneke is proven to have violated any one of the stipulations, prosecution of his case would resume, the document states.
Judge Dietrich accepted the order on March 11.
"The court finds there is a substantial likelihood of conviction and that the benefits of rehabilitation outweigh the harm to society from suspending the prosecution," reads the document. Dietrich also cited in the document concerns about the young victims testifying in front of a jury and the potential impact that could be made from such action.
The document was signed by all parties including Smith, Wieneke and his defense attorney, Stephen Foertsch.
Allan Bakke, regional navigator with the Southwest Crisis Center in Worthington, has worked alongside the victims and their families for the past two years. He said in an email that the journey of all involved has been "long and traumatic" and that's why, as they got their day in court, emotions ran high.
"Their healing will be something that continues on," said Bakke.
Each of the victims, accompanied by their parents or family members, sat across from Wieneke in the courtroom Monday, each attempting to read aloud their statements. Out of the six, only two were able to get through their statement fully without breaking down. The other four victim impact statements were read by a respective parent.
"Being a victim has made me doubt if I should trust anyone... I'm fearful of seeing him in public. He touched me and made me feel scared and it changed me as a person," shared one of the victims in their statement. "The trauma and pain will hurt me forever. I just want my life back and (to) enjoy being a kid. I won't be quiet anymore."
Another victim read their statement out loud, speaking directly to Wieneke by saying, "We did nothing to deserve this. You thought you were being sneaky and told us not to tell. You're a horrible person and always will be."
Before the hearing was over, a few parents of the victims also read statements of their own, sharing how Wieneke's actions changed their family dynamic, altered the personality of the victims and left a lasting impact, whether it was known or not.
"He failed the moral code of teachers. You've caused so much damage and hurt to all of us. The truth of this case matters and these girls matter," said one parent with voice trembling.
A few parents described the physical and emotional changes they saw in the victims following the incidents, including intense anxiety, sleepless nights and constant nightmares.
"This whole ordeal has consumed our lives. You've scarred her life, her carefree childhood has been overtaken by fear and anxiety," shared another parent.
Dressed in a blue polo shirt, Wieneke looked stone faced at each of the victims and their families as they addressed him one-by-one, the only physical sign of discomfort being a slouched posture.
"We were just kids and still are. You've taken so much from my life and taken a part of my childhood," read another victim statement.
One victim was able to verbally detail their experience as they addressed Wieneke, saying, "I always thought you were the best teacher but I (also) remember you putting your arm around our backs and touching our breasts ... I am no longer a victim but a survivor."