Teacher accused of abuse

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. -- For the second time in only a few years, a teacher at Francis Bradley Middle School in Huntersville has been charged with taking indecent liberties with a minor.

Sixth-grade language arts teacher Don Winger was arrested at his Huntersville home Friday morning.

Police say the alleged crimes didn’t happen on school grounds and that the victims don’t attend the school.

News of Winger's arrest spread quickly.

“It just breaks my heart that this has happened to our school again,” one parent told WCNC.

The charges against him come after a month-long investigation into allegations that he molested two boys -- ages 12 and 13 -- four years ago.

The boys, who are brothers, recently confided to a counselor at a group home where they now live. They told investigators that Winger assaulted them in his home on more than one occasion.

Winger is the relative of the boys’ then adoptive family.

"He would watch the children and he was a tutor and a mentor to the kids,” Huntersville Lt. Ken Richardson said.

"He's a heck of a nice fella," neighbor Steven Stone said.

Stone, who has lived across from Winger for more than four years, described him as a loner.

"When you see somebody who isolates themselves as much as he did, you can kind of understand it," explained Stone.

Meanwhile, parents at Bradley Middle where Winger has taught since 2002 are shocked.

"He was a real good teacher. The kids liked him. It's just very sad," parent Cindy Elder told WCNC.

Winger is being held in the Mecklenburg County jail. His first court appearance is Monday. He remains suspended with pay from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools pending the outcome of the investigation.

Prior to working at Bradley Middle, he taught language arts in 2000 to 2002 at Mallard Creek Elementary.