Jyväskylä teacher held over expanding child sex abuse case

A Jyväskylä elementary school teacher already charged with six sexual offences now faces additional allegations, police said on Tuesday, with more than ten victims identified so far.

Investigators have upgraded the case to include suspected sexual assaults on children and other offences, said Senior Superintendent Anu Tervanen of the Central Finland police, who is leading the inquiry. She declined to specify the total number of charges.

The suspect, who has no prior criminal record, was remanded in custody in March by the Jyväskylä District Court and remains detained. Police said they cannot rule out the possibility of further victims coming forward.

Newly reported incidents emerged during the ongoing investigation, which focuses on alleged crimes committed in Jyväskylä and the nearby municipality of Hollola. The deadline for filing charges, originally set for mid-July, has been postponed until the end of October.