A Massachusetts music teacher has been charged with indecent assault and battery on one of his students, according to police in Hingham.
Matthew D. Browne, 53, of Scituate, turned himself into police Wednesday following an investigation. The teacher is accused of inappropriate behavior at Saint Paul School.
According to court documents, a sixth grader described Browne as "kinda creepy" and said that on one occasion, he hugged her from behind, grabbed her waist, got too close and pressed his body against hers.
"It got really uncomfortable, really scary, really fast," she told police.
Browne was arraigned on charges of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and assault and battery during his arraignment in Hingham District Court on Wednesday.
Browne has been placed on leave from Saint Paul School and Sacred Heart Elementary School in Weymouth, where he also teaches.
Multiple students were interviewed by police, with most agreeing that Browne regularly hugs female students, sometimes from behind and with two hands around them, according to court documents. It made some students uncomfortable, but not everyone had a problem with it.
Local
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Boston said there would be no comment on the ongoing matter involving law enforcement.
"It's a tough case for the children to have to deal with at that age," said Hingham Police Sgt. Steven Dearth. "They shouldn't have to deal with these issues, especially at school."
Browne was released following his arraignment and is scheduled to return to court March 1. Multiple attempts to reach him and his attorney for comment have not been successful.
