A suspended Lehigh County 911 dispatcher is accused of raping a girl last year in Northampton County, according to authorities.
Austin Kern, 26, was arraigned Tuesday on charges alleging he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl in March 2025 in his Lehigh Township home. Kern is charged with rape of a child, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault of a child, corruption of minors and simple assault. He was sent to Northampton County Prison on $250,000 bail.
Lehigh Township police wrote in court documents that Kern raped the girl while she was staying at the home for a visit.
She told her family about the assault, and she went to a nearby hospital for a sexual assault evaluation, police said. The sexual assault kit was sent to a state police crime lab for testing. DNA found on her clothes at the time of the assault likely matched that of Kern’s, according to court documents.
Kern was suspended without pay after his arrest, which is Lehigh County policy, according to a county spokesperson.
Kern did not have an attorney listed Wednesday.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to correct Kern’s first name.