Police in Delaware County arrested a middle school physical education teacher and multi-sport coach who is the father of a girl battling cancer amid allegations that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl who he met when she attended his school.

The arrest follows a Sept. 12 incident at Garnet Valley Middle School where William "Bill" Barber -- a teacher and coach of the school’s football and baseball teams – allegedly had a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

Police say he met the now-high schooler when she attended Garnet Valley Middle School.

"This past summer they became in contact and started communicating via Twitter," said Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Gerard McShea.

Cpl. McShea says the girl then sent Barber nude photos. An affidavit accuses Barber of writing to the girl, "wow you are a very sexy young lady" on September 9. He then allegedly wrote to her, "you could have been here but it's all good. I shouldn't tempt myself anyway," on September 11. The affidavit states Barber then wrote, "but your body makes me crazy," half an hour later.

Investigators say Barber and the girl then had a sexual encounter the next day in the coach's office.

"The school did everything they were supposed to," Cpl. McShea said. "As soon as they received the report they contacted us. We were down there and able to interview the victim yesterday."

In a notice posted to the district’s website, Garnet Valley School District Superintendent Dr. Marc Bertrando said that Barber -- a married father of a 4-year-old girl battling cancer -- was suspended and asked Monday night to turn in his keys.

Barber, who began teaching at the school in 2002, was well-known in the district and community in large part because of his daughter’s battle against cancer.

“…Our community participated in a number of publicized charitable causes on her behalf,” Bertrando wrote. “We understand that these allegations are extremely troubling and will leave many feeling betrayed.”

A judge arraigned Barber Tuesday on charges including statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor, institutional sexual assault of a minor, corruption of minors and indecent assault of a minor, according to court records. He remained behind bars unable to post 10 percent of $250,000 bail.

Bertrando said that students alerted staff Monday to rumors about a relationship going on between Barber and the student. After internally investigating, Bertrando said the district turned over the investigation to police. Investigators also say the victim told a guidance counselor about what happened.

“Our administrative team acted as quickly as we possibly could, and we have been focusing since then on putting plans in place to help our community move forward,” said Bertrando.

Crisis counselors will be at schools Wednesday morning to help students and staff with questions and concerns while trying to reassure students that they can trust adults.

“As we meet with students in the coming days and weeks, we hope to help them work through their concerns and reassure them that while this very popular, well-liked teacher certainly betrayed the community’s trust, there are many adults in their lives who can be trusted and relied upon,” said Bertrando. “It’s a difficult thing for anyone to experience, and we are very sorry this crisis has occurred in our community.”

Firefighters responded to reports of smoke inside the Plaza at the King of Prussia Mall Wednesday morning.

The fire broke out at a kiosk of the lower level of The Plaza between JCPenney and Sears -- not far from the food court -- around 5:30 a.m., according to officials.

No one was hurt.

The King of Prussia Fire Department investigated the exact cause of blaze.

A mall spokesperson said that the mall would operate as normal, opening at 10 a.m.

Two days after a stray bullet allegedly fired by a protector of a group of brawling high school students killed an innocent teenager, Philadelphia Police released an arrest photo of the accused killer.

Darian Person, 19, is accused of killing Aisha Abdur-Rhaman as she walked away from the fight in the Olney section of the city that she had nothing to do with.

Aisha, who was just 15, died Monday afternoon after Person allegedly opened fire during a fight near the Albert Einstein Medical Center. Person was charged in her murder and surrendered to police Tuesday night to face that murder charge, conspiracy, weapons charges and other counts.

"He took somebody's baby away," said Keziah Ridgeway, a teacher who taught the teen girl at Delaware Valley Charter School. "For what? I have two daughters. If it was my daughter I wouldn't be able to breathe."

Friends and family continue to cope with Aisha's death.

"I can't believe it," said Ridgeway. "I'm still in disbelief."

Investigators say a conflict between students at Delaware Valley Charter School led to the deadly shooting. While Aisha attended the school, police said she had nothing to do with the fight that ultimately caused her death.

"Something very small and trivial ultimately led to this young lady being killed," said Philadelphia Police Captain James Clark. "It started with some young ladies having some type of issue then it spread to the guys."

Clark said the conflict continued to escalate into several fights at the school involving students and "people from their neighborhood."

"It became a war over Twitter and Instagram," Clark said. "A lot of threats were made and ultimately they arranged to set up this fight at Broad and Olney which led to the shooting."

Investigators say the two opposing groups met at Broad and Olney around 4 p.m. Monday. Among the group of 20 to 30 people was Person, a high school dropout who Clark said was brought to the fight as "muscle." The two opposing sides began to brawl on the street. As the fight began to die down, the teens then walked about a block down to the 5500 block of Old York Road, according to investigators.

"That's when the second altercation took place," Clark said.

During the second fight, Person allegedly took out a gun and fired three to five shots. One of the bullets traveled a half a block away and struck Abdur-Rhaman in the back as she was walking home with a friend.

"She was a totally innocent victim," Clark said.

Aisha ran about a half a block before collapsing on the curb outside Einstein Hospital. Medics rushed her into the emergency room where she died a short time later.

A 19-year-old man was also struck in the chest during the shooting. He was taken to Einstein Hospital where in critical but stable condition. Investigators are unsure whether he was also an innocent bystander or involved in the fight.

Person remained behind bars Wednesday after being denied bail, according to court records.

A man on foot and a man in a car began shooting at each other Wednesday afternoon outside a community center that houses a charter school.

The shooting outside of Congreso de Latinos Unidos -- a community services facility -- along N American Street near Cambria Street in Philadelphia’s West Kensington neighborhood around 1:15 p.m. left one alleged shooter dead, another shooter hurt and an innocent bystander hospitalized.

Police told NBC10 that a man on foot and a man in a car began shooting at each other in front of the community center. After being shot, the man in the car crashed into an innocent bystander who was walking across the street.

"He actually works out here at the garage," said Philadelphia Police Captain Mike Cram. "He was just out doing his job and gets hit by the car." 

The driver of the car later died at Temple University Hospital. The other two men remained in stable condition at Hahnemann Hospital, according to police.

A Brightside Academy day care is nearby the shooting scene. No injuries were reported at the day care or community center. Pan American Charter School is also located inside the center and was placed on lockdown for several hours due to the shooting.

Crying parents could be seen picking up their children.

"We got the phone call to pick up our children," said Yorlany Lopez, a mother of a student at Pan American Charter. "I'm just glad they're safe." 

What led to the shooting remains under investigation.

The body of an MIT sophomore was found Tuesday in a residence hall, President L. Rafael Reif said in an email to members of the MIT community, according to the school's newspaper.

Phoebe Wang, who was in the department of mechanical engineering, was from Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania, and was residing in the MacGregor House.

She was an active member of her dormitory and played the flute in the MIT Symphony Orchestra. Reif commented that her friends valued her humor, passion for music, and curiosity.

Reif's email did not specify the cause of Wang's death.

Letter from the President:

To the members of the MIT community,

It breaks my heart to tell you that I learned today of the death of Phoebe Wang. A sophomore in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, she came to us from Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania. At MIT, Phoebe was a very active member of MacGregor House and played flute in the MIT Symphony Orchestra. Her friends treasured her curiosity, her quirky sense of humor and her passion for music, origami and the performance art known as poi.

As Phoebe's family and close friends face this tragic loss, please join me in extending our deepest sympathy. The death of a young person is always a shock, and in recent months we have lost too many of our cherished students and dear friends. I encourage you to take time to reach out to those around you. A sense of connection, kindness and sympathy can make even the most difficult situations a little easier to bear.

The Institute's full range of student support and mental health services is available to all members of the MIT community, and information is accessible via together.mit.edu. Undergraduate students can contact Student Support Services at 617-253-4861, members of their house team and their advisors. Graduate students can reach out to Graduate Personal Support staff in the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education at 617-253-4860, and their housemasters.

I encourage all members of the MIT community who feel affected by this death to contact Mental Health Services at 617-253-2916 during the day, or 617-253-4481 during nights and weekends.

In sympathy,

L. Rafael Reif

Authorities advised multiple schools in one Camden County township to go on lockdown as they investigated a home invasion in the area.

Union Valley Elementary School, Mullen Middle School and Erial Elementary School in Gloucester Township were all put on "lockout" around 11:20 a.m. as a precaution as law enforcement searched for the suspect in a home invasion on the 100 block of York Terrace in Sickerlerville, according to reports.

No one is allowed in or out of the school buildings, according to school officials.

Officers went to the Gloucester Township home after a neighbor reported suspicious activity there, and the resident told police he was being held hostage. But those claims remain under investigation.

Two people found inside the home were taken into custody, and authorities were searching for a third person. No weapons or drugs were found in the home, but authorities said the incident was possibly drug-related.

The "lockout" was lifted at both Mullen and Erial after about 30 minutes, while Union lifted its lockdown a short time later, according to authorities.

Police said the advisory was sent out to schools as a safety precaution.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

A Florida developer interested in remaking the shuttered Revel Casino Hotel told Reuters his vision for the empty Atlantic City property includes a university that would ideally be attended by students who are "white and over 21."

Glenn Straub made the incendiary remark, which was his way of describing someone with no financial obligations, during a larger interview about his ambitious plan for the vacant property, Reuters reported.

Straub offered $90 million to acquire the $2.4 billion resort ahead of an auction set for Sept. 24, according to court records.

The businessman, who owns the Palm Beach Polo Golf and Country Club, made the offer about a week after the Shore town's newest casino shut its doors.

The interest was welcomed in Atlantic City, where three casinos shut down over the first two weeks of September.

Straub said he would add a second tower to the beachfront property before converting a portion of it into a university.

"It's going to be for geniuses," Straub told the Press of Atlantic City.

Aside from highly intelligent, Straub described his ideal student as "free, white and over 21" in an interview with Reuters.

Despite his unsavory comment, his $90 million bid remains on the table.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

An Atlantic County Prosecutor who was criticized for his handling of the Ray Rice assault case is now allowing a Philadelphia mother who was arrested for carrying a legally-owned gun in the wrong state into the same program he allowed the former NFL star to enter.

Shaneen Allen, 27, is now allowed to enter the Atlantic County Pretrial Intervention Program, giving her the opportunity to have the charges against her dropped upon successful completion.

On October 1, 2013, Allen, 27, was pulled over in Atlantic County, New Jersey for a routine traffic stop. When the officer approached her vehicle, the mother of two informed him that she had a handgun in the car and presented her concealed carry permit for Pennsylvania.

Allen quickly learned that her Pennsylvania gun license held no legal weight in New Jersey when instead of getting a traffic ticket, she was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and armor penetrating bullets. Due to the charges, she now faces a possible 3 ½ to ten years in state prison.

Records show the director of Atlantic County’s Pretrial Intervention recommended Allen for the program. Successful completion of the program would have kept Allen from serving jail time and expunged her record of any charges.

Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain and Superior Court Judge Michael Donio denied Allen’s acceptance into PTI however. The prosecutor and judge have received criticism for allowing NFL player Ray Rice into that same program after he punched his fiancée in an elevator at the Revel Casino, knocking her unconscious.

After receiving criticism, McClain sent a letter to Donio asking that Allen's case be adjourned to allow a review. Donio granted the request and Allen's trial was postponed from October 6 to October 20.

On Wednesday, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office released a clarification of the 2008 "Graves Act" directive, which deals with incidents in which out-of-state residents who hold a valid permit to carry a firearm in their home state are arrested in New Jersey and charged with illegal possession of a firearm under New Jersey law.

According to the clarification a defendant may "avoid conviction for a Graves Act crime by being admitted to the PTI program." The clarification also states that under New Jersey law prosecutors are "not permitted to reject categorically a defendant's application for PTI on the grounds that he or she is charged with a crime that is subject to the presumption of imprisonment or a mandatory minimum sentence."

Upon reviewing the clarification, McClain allowed Allen to enter the PTI program.

"I determined that the defendant in this case should be offered the opportunity to be admitted into the Atlantic County PTI Program and I have communicated that determination to the Court and to defense counsel," McClain wrote in a released statement. "In the next few weeks I will review similar cases that are pending within our jurisdiction and make appropriate decisions following the application of the factors sent out in the clarification."

Even though Allen has been allowed into the program, the charges against her have not been officially dropped. The charges will only be dismissed if she successfully completes the program. Yet even though the charges haven't been dropped, Allen is still happy about the opportunity.

"This is a big victory," she told NBC10. "This is the biggest victory I've ever had. I feel like justice has been served finally." 

Since her story first surfaced, Allen has received support from various groups and individuals. The New Jersey Second Amendment Society recently put up billboards in Atlantic County which read, "Free Shaneen From Unfair Prosecution."

Drivers are in for a messy morning commute Thursday as heavy rain and wind hit the area.

Rain moved into the region Wednesday night with light showers turning to downpours Thursday morning in parts south and east of Philadelphia. 

The quick bursts of heavy rainfall could produce up to half an inch of rain in an hour, leading to ponding on roadways in Philadelphia, Wilmington, Trenton, Atlantic City and other surrounding areas, according to the National Weather Service.

In the Philadelphia area, the rain will be at its heaviest during the morning rush.

The storms will be strongest at the Jersey Shore, where a coastal flood advisory is in effect until 12 p.m. Thursday.  Winds could approach nearly 40 miles per hour at the Shore, where there is a high rip current risk.

Strong winds -- with gusts surpassing 20 miles per hour in the city -- will make the wet day feel even chillier.

"That northeasterly wind is making for a dreary start this morning and it will help keep temperatures much lower," said NBC10 First Alert Meteorologist Bill Henley.

High temperatures will reach the mid-60s by late afternoon.

The heaviest rain should clear out by Thursday afternoon, making way for a more pleasant weekend.

Sunshine is expected to return Friday with high temperatures in the upper-70s. The sunny weather will continue into the weekend with temperatures entering the low-80s during the first full weekend of fall. 

A gunman shot and killed a man in South Philadelphia Wednesday.

The victim, a man between the ages of 18 and 20, was on the 500 block of Watkins Street around 5 p.m. when the unidentified gunman opened fire.

The victim was struck twice in the head. He was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he was later pronounced dead.

No arrests have been made. Police have not yet released a description of the suspect.

This story is developing. Stay with NBC10.com for updates on this developing story. 
 

Police have found a Philadelphia girl who went missing Wednesday.

Sophia Phan, 11, left D. Newlin Fell School at 9th Street and Oregon Avenue around 4 p.m.

She was last seen at Oregon Steaks about a block away from her home on the corner of Shunk and 10th streets around 4:30 p.m.

Police began searching for the girl after her parents reported she was missing. Shortly before midnight they announced the girl was found safe and had returned home to her family.

A former University of Delaware student is speaking out after her allegation that her professor offered her a good grade in exchange for sex sparked both an investigation and student protests at her school.

“He told me what specific sexual acts he wanted to perform with me,” said the student who did not want to be identified.

The student claims University of Delaware sociology professor Eric Tranby, who also served as her advisor, offered her an “A” in exchange for sex during the past school year. She also claims Tranby told her he had sex with other students in his office after normal hours.

“He said, ‘Oh well, you know, we just cover up the webcam and pull the blinds down,’” she said.

The student says she refused to have sex with the professor which caused Tranby to send her an email apologizing and begging her not to tell anyone.

“I told him that I would tell and he begged me not to, saying I would ruin his career and he would give me an ‘A’ anyway,” she said.

NBC10 reached out to Tranby for comment but we have not yet heard back from him. In a statement on an education website and to Delaware’s student newspaper, Tranby denied the allegations. Tranby also claimed school investigators never found he did anything wrong. Despite this, he still wrote a letter to his colleagues saying he would take a leave of absence and resign at the end of the school year.

Tranby’s accuser believes the school didn’t investigate the allegations thoroughly, didn’t keep her informed about any developments and wanted the entire ordeal to be swept under the rug.

“You realize that they are not doing anything for me,” she said. “Or if they are I don’t know about it. I don’t know what’s taking place. It needs to stop. Somebody needs to do something and it needs to stop.”

The accusations against Tranby and the university’s subsequent investigation sparked protests amongst students with many feeling there was a lack of transparency in the school’s sexual harassment policy.

A spokesperson for the University of Delaware told NBC10 they couldn’t comment on the specifics of the case and that all student and personnel matters are considered confidential. The spokesman also wrote that the matter was “handled promptly and properly with sensitivity to the complainant and clear communication with all parties involved.”

“The personal safety and well-being of our students and the campus community are top priorities for the University of Delaware,” the spokesperson wrote. “The University has focused on ways to protect the members of its community from sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment and sexual assault, and has taken steps to ensure any and all complaints are handled appropriately. “

The spokesman also shared the school’s policy on handling sexual harassment allegations.

“If a sexual harassment complaint is made by a student, employee or visitor, federal law requires the University to take immediate and appropriate steps to investigate the complaint or otherwise determine what occurred,” the spokesperson wrote. “In order to protect the privacy of both the complainant and the respondent in a sexual harassment complaint, the University's policy provides that confidentiality must be maintained to the fullest extent possible throughout the process. The University takes this confidentiality requirement seriously because many victims would not come forward without it.”

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

A minivan unable to stop set off a chain reaction crash in Atlantic City late Wednesday night, causing a jitney to slam into an apartment building and leaving more than half a dozen people injured.

The minivan was heading north on Massachusetts Avenue around 11:30 p.m. when the driver tried to stop at Pacific Avenue, but instead collided with a jitney traveling along the intersecting street, authorities said.

The jitney's driver lost control, striking a nearby building, police said.

At least seven people aboard the jitney and a passenger in the minivan were hurt in the crash, officials said.  None of the injuries were serious.

The rainy weather conditions contributed to the crash, according to authorities.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

The lawyer of one of the three people charged in the beating of a gay couple in Center City spoke out about offensive comments his client made on her Twitter account.

• Suspects in Attack on Gay Couple Surrender

The tweets from Kathryn Knott, which were posted on her account back in 2012, made the rounds on the Internet Wednesday. Several people called her tweets homophobic.

Knott’s attorney Louis Busico spoke to NBC10’s Denise Nakano about the tweets. While he acknowledged they were offensive, he also defended his client. 

“She was a young girl in her 20’s who used offensive language,” Busico said. “I’m asking people to consider that these tweets are not a reflection of her true character.”

• Shooting Death of Pregnant Mom May Have Been Revenge

Knott works as an Emergency Room tech at Lansdale Hospital. Officials at Abington Health told NBC10 they suspended her from her job due to the charges against her. They also say they are investigating several tweets Knott posted on her account, including one that appears to show the severed fingers of a patient.

"We are investigating an additional issue that was brought to our attention related to this employee's Twitter account for potential violations of patient privacy and our organization's social media policy," a spokesperson for Abington Health wrote in an official statement. "Abington Health takes patient privacy and confidentiality very seriously and is fully investigating this matter." 

Knott, Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams surrendered to Philadelphia Police Wednesday morning after they were accused of viciously beating a gay couple in Center City back on Sept. 11. Knott is also the daughter of Chalfont, Pennsylvania’s Police Chief Karl Knott.

The attorneys for all three suspects claim the incident was not related to anyone’s sexual orientation but was instead a “mutual confrontation.” One attorney even claimed one of the victims started the fight by punching a woman who the group was with.

• Philly Mom Arrested for Licensed Gun Allowed to Enter PTI 

Police sources and witnesses said however that the suspects started the confrontation by asking one of the victims, “is this your f*****g boyfriend?” and then hurled homophobic slurs while attacking them.

Busico claimed Knott was not involved in the fight and didn’t hurl any insults against the couple.

Knott, Harrigan and Williams are charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy and reckless endangerment.
 

Didn't have a chance to catch the news? Here are yesterday's top stories.

Police Chief's Daughter, Other Suspects in Beating of Philadelphia Gay Couple Surrender
Three Bucks County residents -- including the daughter of a police chief -- accused of viciously beating a gay couple along a Center City Philadelphia street surrendered to police Wednesday morning.

Sources: Shooting Death of Pregnant Philly Mom, Unborn Baby Was Revenge Against Boyfriend
A gunman opened fire on a Philly street early Wednesday morning leaving a pregnant mom and her unborn child dead and her boyfriend in critical condition. As the investigation into the shooting continues, both police sources and the woman's mother believe the boyfriend was targeted because of an earlier fatal shooting and robbery he may have been involved in.

Auction for Bankrupt Revel Casino to Resume Next Tuesday
A bankruptcy court auction for Revel, the failed luxury casino-hotel on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, will resume next Tuesday.

Pennsylvania Gym Teacher, Father of Girl With Cancer, Has Sex With Teenage Student: Police
A middle school physical education teacher and coach well-known in the Delaware County community as the father of a girl battling cancer has been arrested for allegedly having sex with a teenager.

Family Honors Mother With Philadelphia Eagles-Themed Funeral
Those who attended Joann Tumelavich’s funeral Wednesday morning were decked out in Philadelphia Eagles gear. According to her family, Joann wouldn’t have had it any other way -- which is why they buried her in her favorite player's jersey.

Check your pockets. Are you holding the lucky million dollar lottery ticket? 

Lottery officials say a $1 million lottery ticket was sold at Sunoco, 2100 E. Allegheny Ave., in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia Wednesday.

The ticket numbers are -- 07, 14, 21, 24, 41 -- all five white balls, but not the red Powerball number of 26. The second tier prize requires 25 percent withheld in taxes.

Pennsylvania Powerball winners have one year from the drawing date to claim the prize.

The Pennsylvania Lottery says the winner should: sign the back of the ticket, call the lottery at 717-702-8146 and file a claim at a lottery office.

More than 64,500 other prize-winning Powerball tickets were sold statewide for the Sept. 24 drawing, according to the lottery.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

If you're looking for down-to-earth, family-friendly, old-fashioned fun this weekend, look no further than Lower Merion Township!

The annual Harriton Plantation Fair is this Saturday, September 27th in Bryn Mawr. For more than twenty years, this charming event has been delighting visitors of all ages with antiques, crafts, a flea market, pony rides, childrens' activities, muskets, blacksmiths, stone carvers, cabinetmakers, spinners, skep [beehive] demonstrations, weavers, sheep herding (11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) and falconry/birds-of-prey demonstrations (12 p.m. and 2 p.m.) and live, bluegrass music by Summit Hill Station.

Country-style vendors abound, including the Harriton Farm stand featuring flowers and organic produce (some of which is from the Harriton garden) and Lapps Country Market with their yummy, freshly roasted chicken and ribs.

Visit 14 Revolutionary War soldiers on the groundsto hear about life in the 18th century, participate in two-man saw races and meet Ferdinand, the two-month-old Guernsey bull calf.

If you go, don’t miss the opportunity to take a tour of the historic house, one of the oldest and most significant buildings to survive in Pennsylvania.

The country fair admission is free, but keep in mind that this is a fund-raiser. Your vendor purchases and contributions help to assure Harriton's continued operation as an historic site!

For more information about the fair and exquisite property, visit HarritonHouse.org, after the jump!

Insider Tip

While you're at the fair, purchase a raffle ticket for your chance to win a private dinner for eight by Chef Walter Staib in the hearth kitchen at historic Harriton. Chef Walter Staib Chef Staib is the four-time Emmy award winner of A Taste of History on PBS. $100 tickets are available at the fair, are tax-deductible (as long as you don’t win) and are valued at approximately $3,000 if you do! Keep your costs down, while supporting a great cause, by teaming up with seven friends for your purchase!

Harriton Plantation Fair
Saturday, September 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
500 Harriton Road
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010