AN unnamed teacher-predator referenced in Netflix's exposé about the Academy at Ivy Ridge has been identified by five ex-students who accuse the senior female staffer of serial grooming and sexual abuse.
Four of the students alleged in separate interviews with The U.S. Sun that they were groomed and molested by
Amy Ritchie, the former director of the girl's program, over several months while attending
Ivy Ridge as teenagers in the mid-2000s.
Amy Ritchie, the former director of the girls' program at Ivy Ridge, has been accused of sexual abuse by four former students
The women claim the abuse happened in the showers at the school, in their dorm rooms, in Ritchie's bed, in her office, and in some instances, even in their own homes.
A fifth former student describes being tasked with secretly escorting another underage classmate to Ritchie's room after hours, sitting mere feet away from them while the alleged abuse unfolded – realizing only years later how "f**ked up" it was, she said.
In total, The U.S. Sun spoke to seven former students for this story – five women who accused Ritchie of sexually abusing students and two others who independently corroborated claims about Ritchie's alleged grooming pattern and the culture of fear she reportedly cultivated within the school.
Even after almost 20 years, one of Ritchie's accusers, Alexa Brand, said she still feels oddly beholden to Ritchie and is fearful of how she may react to her speaking out.
"I was describing this to someone the other day, but when you're the prey of the predator, even once you reach adulthood, there's always this talon that's latched onto you somehow," she said.
"And even today, coming forward, I worry about hurting her feelings or her being mad at me for telling the truth."
Ritchie, 52, has not been charged nor accused by
law enforcement of committing any crimes concerning the allegations made in this story. But at least three of The U.S. Sun's sources say they have recently reported Ritchie to the District Attorney's office for sexual
abuse.
Repeated attempts to reach her for comment by phone have been unsuccessful.
But here on the Farms we can actually talk about it.
