AUBURN - The 25-year-old Auburn woman who's admitted having a year-long affair with an eighth-grader she taught while a BOCES teacher's aide at Weedsport High School has been released on bail.
Mary Schoonmaker was freed Tuesday after spending nearly two weeks in Cayuga County jail on charges she had sexual relationships with three teenage boys 15 years old or younger.
Schoonmaker was released at 2:30 p.m. after posting $2,500 cash bail. She was met by her mother, Barbara Butler, and her attorney, Dennis Sedor.
Her bail had been as high as $12,500 cash earlier this week, but after consultations with the District Attorney's office, it was lowered Tuesday. She'd been under a suicide watch since first being arraigned in Town of Brutus Court March 17 on one count of rape, two counts of sodomy, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Jon Budelmann said courts frequently put conditions on bail - such as homebound detention, drug and alcohol testing - and that in this case, Schoonmaker will undergo an intensive psychiatric evaluation and begin counseling.
For the mother of the victim, who no longer attends school in Weedsport, the decision to reduce bail made her angry.
"That makes me sick, and here my son is still sent away," said the woman, who once believed Schoonmaker and her son's story that the petite woman was a 17-year-old fellow high school student.
Sedor said Schoonmaker, who is three months pregnant, will now get the care she needs.
"I think she did as well as could be expected under the circumstances," he said. "Of course, she was under suicide watch by our request. She was very distraught. So we were very concerned about that."
Fred Cornelius, lead investigator on the case for the Cayuga County Sheriff's Department, said he does not expect more teenage victims to come forward.
"I believe I've identified all of the victims. That stage of the investigation is complete," he said.
Sedor said his defense strategy will depend on what the psychiatric evaluation reveals.
Both Budelmann and Sedor acknowledged there have been negotiations on a possible plea. Budelmann said an offer has been extended to the defense, but would not comment on whether his office would recommend to a judge that Schoonmaker be given state prison time.
"We've extended the defendant an offer, whether she'll accept it or not is up to her," Budelmann said, adding the defense has decided to waive taking the case before a grand jury. "And it would be premature to release any information on negotiations at this time."
Schoonmaker was released at 2:30 p.m. after posting $2,500 cash bail. She was met by her mother, Barbara Butler, and her attorney, Dennis Sedor.
Her bail had been as high as $12,500 cash earlier this week, but after consultations with the District Attorney's office, it was lowered Tuesday. She'd been under a suicide watch since first being arraigned in Town of Brutus Court March 17 on one count of rape, two counts of sodomy, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Jon Budelmann said courts frequently put conditions on bail - such as homebound detention, drug and alcohol testing - and that in this case, Schoonmaker will undergo an intensive psychiatric evaluation and begin counseling.
For the mother of the victim, who no longer attends school in Weedsport, the decision to reduce bail made her angry.
"That makes me sick, and here my son is still sent away," said the woman, who once believed Schoonmaker and her son's story that the petite woman was a 17-year-old fellow high school student.
Sedor said Schoonmaker, who is three months pregnant, will now get the care she needs.
"I think she did as well as could be expected under the circumstances," he said. "Of course, she was under suicide watch by our request. She was very distraught. So we were very concerned about that."
Fred Cornelius, lead investigator on the case for the Cayuga County Sheriff's Department, said he does not expect more teenage victims to come forward.
"I believe I've identified all of the victims. That stage of the investigation is complete," he said.
Sedor said his defense strategy will depend on what the psychiatric evaluation reveals.
Both Budelmann and Sedor acknowledged there have been negotiations on a possible plea. Budelmann said an offer has been extended to the defense, but would not comment on whether his office would recommend to a judge that Schoonmaker be given state prison time.
"We've extended the defendant an offer, whether she'll accept it or not is up to her," Budelmann said, adding the defense has decided to waive taking the case before a grand jury. "And it would be premature to release any information on negotiations at this time."
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