VERNON HILLS, Ill. (AP) – Members of the school board in the Chicago suburb of Vernon Hills have fired an assistant soccer coach who faces sexual assault charges.
The Monday night vote was unanimous to fire 28-year-old Cori Beard of Vernon Hills. She was charged last week with a dozen counts of criminal sexual assault and ordered held in the Lake County jail on $1 million bond. Police said those charges stem from actions involving two current students. Vernon Hills deputy police chief Patrick Zimmerman says investigators were working on charges related to third current student. He says four former students came forward over the weekend as well.
On Tuesday, a judge refused attorney Barry Sheppard’s request to reduce the bail to $250,000 so that Bear’s family might post bond for her release from Lake County’s jail.
