Published: October 05, 2007 11:58 am      

Teacher accused of taking school funds

CUMBERLAND - A three-month investigation into the alleged embezzlement of $10,000 from two county high schools ended Thursday with the arrest of a teacher.

Carmen Belen Harden, 35, of Shaw Street, Frostburg, was charged with embezzlement and theft following arrest at her home at 1 p.m. on a warrant, Jon Dudiak, C3I operations supervisor, said. She posted a $20,000 bond later that day.

The investigation began June 27 when the Allegany County Board of Education notified the Cumberland Police Department that a teacher possibly was embezzling funds. An investigation identified Harden as the suspect and that about $10,000 was taken from Allegany and Westmar high schools.

Dudiak said Harden served as an adviser to several student groups and apparently was stealing from those organizations.

"That's why the investigation took such a long time," he said. "We had to retrieve a lot of documents and interview a large number of people."

When asked how long Harden had been a teacher, what she taught and what her status with the school system is, the board refused to comment.

Mia Perlozzo, the board's public relations specialist, said the board would not respond at this time because the matter was the result of a police investigation.

Dudiak, however, said Harden is no longer teaching.