Therapist at Paramus school charged with sexual relationship with student, police say

A Washington Township social worker was arrested after allegedly having sexual relations with a student who attended a private school in Paramus where she worked, authorities said.

Tara Cardinale, 39, faces a criminal sexual contact charge after she was found to have invited the student, a minor, "on more than one occasion" to her house, where they engaged in sexual activity, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.

The investigation took place after authorities said they received information about Cardinale's relationship on Dec. 29, leading to her arrest on Friday.

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Cardinale was a primary therapist at the unidentified private high school, the statement said.

Cardinale also faces a child endangerment charge and was taken to the Bergen County Jail pending her first hearing on Wednesday, authorities said.

Anthony Zurita is a breaking news reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all the major news happening in North Jersey, subscribe here. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.

Email: zuritaa@northjersey.com Twitter: @AnthonyRZurita