HAVERHILL, MASS. (WHDH) - A Haverhill school committee member is accused of groping a teenager outside a convenience store Tuesday night.
Cheryl Ferguson allegedly walked up to the boy and touched him from behind, before walking into a 7-Eleven, according to court documents. Officers responded to the store on Dudley Street at around 8 p.m., the documents said.
The boy was wearing a Halloween mask at the time, and said Ferguson walked up to him again when she left the store. According to the police report, the boy accuses her of grabbing at his chest area.
According to police, the boy then went home to tell his mother what had happened. She identified the woman as Ferguson, police said.
Officers arrested Ferguson at her home. According to court paperwork, she told police “…she was at the store playing Keno and when she came out of the store, she ‘poked’ [him] in the chest area stating, ‘you’re scary.'”
She denied any further physical interaction.
Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett and Public Schools Superintendent Margaret Marotta released a joint statement about the allegations.
“In an abundance of caution, we have decided to restrict the member’s access to school premises and are taking other precautionary measures until further notice. The safety of our students is our first concern,” the statement said in part.
Ferguson appeared in court and was released, but was ordered to stay away from the teen and anyone under the age of 18. She also has to wear a GPS monitoring device and follow a curfew.
“That’s very concerning, you know. Especially an elected official,” said Martin Rojas, who lives nearby.
Ferguson declined to comment Wednesday.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)