A Pennsylvania man who works as a 911 dispatcher is facing multiple charges after police said he sexually assaulted a young girl while she was trying to sleep.
Austin Kern, who was 24 at the time of the alleged assault, works as a Lehigh County 911 dispatcher, according to sources.
The 11-year-old girl was staying at her grandmother’s home in Lehigh Township when Kern woke her up while holding a sharp metal object against her neck, according to court documents.
Investigators said Kern then moved the girl from a recliner to a sofa, where he sexually assaulted her.
The girl told her mother what happened after being picked up from the home on March 23, 2025. She was later taken to St. Luke’s Hospital for a sexual assault evaluation, and investigators collected evidence from the home.
According to the criminal complaint, DNA testing linked Kern to the crime.
Kern faces charges of rape of a child, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault of a child, corruption of minors and simple assault. He was arraigned Wednesday at 2:15 p.m. and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. in Allentown.
Online court documents don’t list an attorney who could speak on Kern’s behalf.
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.
