Aide at Aki Kurose Middle School charged with child molestation

An instructional assistant at a South Seattle middle school has been charged with two counts of child molestation and one count of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes.

Sergio Urrutia, 57, is accused of rubbing against two girls while they played a classroom game. According to Seattle police, investigators haven't been able to talk to him because he has been visiting relatives in Chile.

An arrest warrant has been issued.

Urrutia is accused of inappropriately touching the two girls during Saturday morning English immersion classes at Aki Kurose Middle School over the past two years, court papers said. The girls are now 14 and 11.

A student told his mother he saw Urrutia inappropriately touching the girls and even took cellphone photos of Urrutia rubbing against one girl, court charging papers said. The mothers of two male students also told police that they saw Urrutia molesting the girls. They reported his actions to a school official, court papers said.

David Tucker, a spokesman with the Seattle Public Schools, said that Urrutia was placed on administrative leave when police started to investigate the case earlier this year.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com