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North Hills teacher accused of inappropriately touching girl headed to trial

ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — UPDATE (8/27/19): Charges against Nathan Buttenfield have been withdrawn.

ORIGINAL STORY (12/12/18): A teacher in the North Hills School District accused of inappropriately touching a student while in school is headed to trial.

Nathan Buttenfield, 41, of Gibsonia was in court for a preliminary hearing Wednesday morning.

The judge determined there was enough evidence for Buttenfield to go to trial.

The judge was asked to sequester witnesses then because a young child was about to testify. The media was asked to leave as well.

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After a short time, the judge reversed that order and allowed media to hear the child's testimony.

Buttenfield's young accuser testified during the hearing while clutching a stuffed toy.

Victim: "Mr. Buttenfield was rubbing me."

ADA: "With what?

Victim: "His hand."

ADA: "Where?"

Victim: "My private parts, front and back. When I tried to run, he pulled me back."

During cross examination, the child maintained that same upbeat demeanor, even when the defense attorney asked:

Defense: "After this happened, did you tell anyone at school?"

Child: "No, I told my mom and dad."

Defense: "Didn't a couple days pass?"

Child: "Yes, I can't remember how many."

"It was incredibly obvious the child was coached," said Bill Diffenderfer, the defense attorney. "When I see a young girl like this testify as smoothly as she did, I am very curious as to how that happens."

The judge called some of the child's testimony inconsistent, but said she never wavered when it came to the rubbing, so he ordered the teacher to stand trial.

Buttenfield is a physical education teacher at Highcliff Elementary School.

The district said he has been placed on leave.

RELATED: North Hills gym teacher accused of inappropriate contact with elementary student

Officers were called to the school on Nov. 2 for a reported sexual assault of a student who was under the age of 13.

They met with the parents of a young girl.

According to the parents, the girl told them she had been touched inappropriately in gym class.

North Hills School District officials and the district's solicitor were also in court.