Who is Alyshia Tkacs? Ex-cheer coach arrested for allegedly molesting girl, 12, for TWO YEARS
CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND: A 33-year-old Rhode Island cheer coach is facing child molestation charges for sexually assaulting a minor girl on a daily basis for two years, beginning when the alleged victim, who is now an adult, was 12.
Alyshia Tkacs was arrested on June 17 after the alleged victim came forward and reported in April. As per reports by Daily Mail, East Providence Police Department detectives said they found evidence that the victim met Tkacs in 2012 while coaching a competitive cheerleading squad. The assault allegedly continued till the year of 2014. “The victim reported that the sexual assaults occurred in East Providence and Barrington, RI during the two-year period and occurred almost daily,” said Lt Michael Rapoza.
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The accused, who was serving as a nurse at Woman & Infants Hospital, has been suspended without pay after the allegations came to attention. The hospital, which is owned by Care New England, released a statement through their spokesperson, Raina Smith, saying, “Care New England conducted background checks prior to employment and those were clean. She has been suspended indefinitely without pay and denied access to our campus. We take the care and safety of our community very seriously, so we immediately took action when notified.”
While CheerFactor All Stars, where the suspect's young daughter allegedly currently cheers, also released a statement by owner Christie Blushi. It read, "Please be advised that Alyshia Tkacs has never coached, provided instruction or been employed in any capacity by CheerFactor or any of its affiliated gyms or programs. Her daughter is a participant, and that is her only affiliation with the program, as a parent of an all-star cheer athlete."
Veronica Seavey, who went to nursing school with Tkacs, told NBC that she is in disbelief with the charges. “It just didn’t seem like something she would do, and she had a daughter that age,” Seavey told. “I had a baby three and a half months ago and she was my nurse at Women & Infants. You just can’t trust anyone," she said. She appreciated the victim for speaking up. "Maybe that victim just saved her daughter from it, who knows. Maybe she saved a whole bunch of kids from being molested, we just don't know," she said.
Barrington Police have launched their own investigation into the allegations. The former coach has not yet entered a plea, and online records do not reflect an attorney authorized to speak on her behalf. Tkacs is held without bail at Cranston Women’s Facility, police said as per reports and she is due in court on June 23.