Updated 9:14 p.m. Sept. 30, 2025
By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
MENDON — A woman who worked as a contractor in the food service department of a St. Joseph County school district was charged Monday on multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct involving minors.
Kaitlyn Lee Sand, 28 of Three Rivers, was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a student victim of 13-15 years old, two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a student under 18 years old, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a student victim of 13-15 years old, one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct with a student under 18 years old, and one count of tampering with evidence in a criminal case.
According to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office, Sand is accused of sexually assaulting two minor victims between February and April 2023. Investigators allege Sand met the victims through her work as a contract employee in food services at Mendon Junior/Senior High School, and used various social media platforms to “repeatedly” contact the victims. The charges stem from incidents alleged to have occurred in both Mendon and Three Rivers.
Sand was arraigned on the charges in St. Joseph County 3B District Court Monday, following an investigation by the Mendon Police Department. The case remains under investigation. Sand posted a $30,000 bond Monday, according to court records.
St. Joseph County Prosecutor Deborah Davis confirmed that Sand is not currently employed with the food service contracting company, Chartwells; she was terminated in March 2023 in an unrelated incident, according to Mendon Police Department Chief Mike Kline.
In a statement Tuesday, Mendon Community Schools Superintendent Leasa Griffith-Mathews reiterated that Sand was “never” an employee of Mendon schools, but rather with Chartwells, and was there from August 2021 until March 2023. She said the district will continue to work with the Mendon Police Department in their investigation.
“As always, the District’s priority is the safety and well-being of all of our students. We will continue to work actively with the authorities on this matter,” Griffith-Mathews’ statement read.
The first-degree CSC counts carry a sentence of up to life in prison. The second-degree and third-degree CSC counts carry a sentence of 15 years in jail. The tampering with evidence charge is punishable by more than 10 years in jail, and the fourth-degree CSC charge is a two-year high court misdemeanor charge.
Prosecutors reminded the public that Sand is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
She’s a very sick sick women and I hope she gets life for what she did