A Blair County school bus aide stands accused of molesting a 5-year-old student after the victim told her parents she had been touched inappropriately.

Altoona resident Brandon Michael Shultz, 28, was arraigned Wednesday by Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on single felony counts of school employee intercourse/sexual contact with a student, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of minors by a person age 18 or above, as well as a single misdemeanor count of indecent assault victim less than 13 years of age. In lieu of $250,000, he was remanded to the Blair County Prison, where he awaits a preliminary hearing in front of Jones on May 21.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Shultz was employed by the Blair County Head Start program as a bus aide for nine years and would help students get on and off the bus so as to not distract the driver. On the day of the alleged incident, Shultz asked to sit next to the victim because he noticed she was “upset.”

The victim told officers that Shultz asked her to sit on his lap. When she did so, the victim said Shultz rubbed her legs and over her underwear, the police report states.

In an interview, Shultz denied doing anything wrong before admitting to putting the victim on his lap and touching her inappropriately. Officers then asked Shultz why he touched the victim, to which Shultz said he “did it to make her happy,” according to the affidavit.

In a statement, Blair County Head Start confirmed Shultz was placed on administrative leave once the investigation began, starting with Child Advocates of Blair County.

“We learned this morning that an individual who was employed with the Blair County Head Start program has been arraigned on charges that include unlawful conduct with a minor,” the statement read. “Upon being notified of a parental concern, CABC immediately submitted a ChildLine report and placed the individual on administrative leave, pending investigation. CABC will continue to cooperate with the ongoing criminal investigation.”