Ex-cheerleading coach accused of molesting child set to appear in court

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — An ex-cheerleading coach accused of molesting a child for nearly two years is set to appear in court Thursday.

Alyshia Tkacs, 33, was arrested last week and was indicted on seven charges of child molestation.

Police said Tkacs was a coach for a competitive organization when she allegedly molested a 12-year-old child, who’s now an adult, from July 2013 to December 2014.

Police said the victim reported that the crimes happened almost every day in both the towns of Barrington and East providence.

East Providence police captain Jim Nelson said the ex cheerleading coach was known to police prior to her arrest.

“We’ve had contact with this suspect before. We have contact with a lot of people. But nothing that stood out in regards to, or would have led us to have seen this coming,” said Nelson.

Following Tkacs arrest, her current employer, Care New England announced she had been suspended without pay, pending the investigation.

She is currently held without bail.