A 47-year-old special-needs counselor and substitute teacher from Rogers has been charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old student.

David S. Henderson, who is on leave from his job at the North Education Center in New Hope, faces two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

According to the criminal complaint filed late last week in Hennepin County District Court, Rogers police were called to Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park on a report of the assault.

The 16-year-old told Rogers police officers that Henderson invited her to his home, where they watched movies with two of his children. She told police that he was a "father figure" and that he had helped her family financially.

When the children went to sleep, Henderson went to his bedroom and she slept on the couch, she told police. She awoke at 5 a.m. to find Henderson on top of her. She said she told him "no" and he replied, "You can't really do anything about it" and "You owe me."

The victim said Henderson pinned her arms across her chest and sexually assaulted her.

Henderson then drove her home, where she later told her mother what had happened. Her mother took her to a hospital.

In a statement to police, Henderson admitted that the girl had slept over at his house and that having her do so was "a dumb decision," but he denied having sex with her.

Henderson has been employed at District 287 since 1993.

He has posted bail. No court date has been set.

KAREN ZAMORA