Former Sussex Central principal arrested for theft, misconduct
A former high school principal in Sussex County was indicted on charges of theft, forgery and official misconduct after prosecutors allege she gave more than $15,000 in falsified overtime payments to a paraprofessional in the Indian River School District.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Judith Brittingham, 46, is alleged to have arranged for the paraprofessional, who was not named, to be paid overtime for in-home tutoring services during school hours between April 4, 2022 and May 30, 2023. Brittingham had been a longtime employee with the Indian River School District and had served as the director of special services before she was named acting principal at Sussex Central High School in Georgetown, a post she served in from August 2023 to June 2024.
Mat Marshall, spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, said Brittingham turned herself in and has been released on bail.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Brittingham submitted false paperwork which claimed 159 false overtime shifts resulting in more than $15,000 in undue overtime pay to the paraprofessional, who was allegedly having a romantic relationship with Brittingham. The overpayments came to light after Indian River School District officials became aware of Brittingham’s romantic relationship with the paraprofessional in 2024 and notified Brittingham they would both be subjected to an investigation by the district, after which Brittingham disclosed the payments.
In addition to the false overtime payments, Brittingham is also alleged to have overpaid mileage reimbursements to the paraprofessional, which were measured from the professional’s home in Laurel rather than Sussex Central, resulting in $600 in overpayment. Investigators from the Attorney General’s Office believe Brittingham submitted reimbursement forms for mileage on behalf of the paraprofessional without his knowledge or consent.
Attorney General Kathy Jennings said in a statement, "No one is above the law or beneath justice. Public employees who break the law are harming taxpayers, themselves and good public servants whose work is undermined when the public trust is eroded. I am grateful to our prosecutors and the Delaware State Police for their dedication as we move forward with this case.”
