HAVERHILL, MASS. (WHDH) – A Haverhill school board member is accused of groping a teenager outside a convenience store Tuesday night.

Cheryl Ferguson allegedly approached the boy and touched him from behind before entering a 7-Eleven, according to court documents. Officers responded to the store on Dudley Street around 8 p.m., documents state.

The boy was wearing a Halloween mask at the time and said Ferguson approached him again as he left the store. According to the police report, the boy accuses her of grabbing his chest area.

According to police, the boy then went home to tell his mother what had happened. She identified the woman as Ferguson, police said.

Officers arrested Ferguson at her home. According to court documents, she told police “… she was at the store playing Keno and when she came out of the store, he ‘poked’ her in the chest saying ‘you’re scary.’

She denied any further physical interaction.

Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett and Public Schools Superintendent Margaret Marotta released a joint statement about the allegations.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to restrict the member’s access to the school premises and are taking other precautions until further notice. The safety of our students is our first concern,” the statement read in part.

Ferguson appeared in court and was released but ordered to stay away from the teenager and anyone under 18. She must also wear a GPS monitoring device and adhere to a curfew.

“It’s very worrying, you know. Especially a chosen one,” said Martin Rojas, who lives nearby.

Ferguson declined to comment Wednesday.

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