NEWS RELEASE
YORK REGIONAL POLICE
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York Regional Police has charged a 73-year-old man from the City of Toronto in connection with historical sexual offences committed against several children.
In June 2021, police began an investigation into a retired school teacher after officers received information regarding a sexual assault.
Through the investigation, officers located four victims who reported incidents from their Grade 4 class in 1977 to 1980 at a public school in Nobleton. Three female victims reported sexual offences and one male victim reported a physical assault.
On Jan. 27, 2022, the accused was arrested and has been charged.
The accused was a teacher with the York Region District School Board full time for many years and continued working as a supply teacher after his retirement up until 2020. Investigators believe there may be more victims. Anyone with information is urged to come forward.
Charged: Lawrence Fritz, 73, of the City of Toronto
Charge:
- Gross Indecency x3
- Indecent Assault x3
- Forcible Confinement
- Assault with Intent
A sexual assault includes any non-consensual contact of a sexual nature. York Regional Police would like to encourage anyone who feels they may have been a victim of a sexual assault to come forward and report the incident to police. There is no statute of limitations for sexual offences and offenders can be prosecuted well after the date of the offence. If you are the survivor of sexual assault, you can report the incident online if:
- You are not in immediate danger
- The person who assaulted you is not present
- There is no evidence present that may be collected by police (blood, semen, saliva, etc.). Evidence can be collected for up to 12 days after the sexual assault has occurred
- You have access to a private email address, to which the suspect does not
If someone is not ready to report, however is seeking support, please contact York Region Victim Services victimservices-york.org or the Women’s Support Network womenssupportnetwork.ca. Additional resources and information can be found on our website http://www.yrp.ca/en/services/resources/sexualassaultsurvivorsguide.pdf.
Anyone with information is asked to call the York Regional Police Special Victims Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7071 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.
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