Image sources: David Christopher Mitchell, courtesy of Adams County Prison, as published by CBS 21 News. Google Street View of Gettysburg Montessori Charter School, © Google, via Google Maps.
For years, David Christopher Mitchell presented himself as a trusted therapist to the Gettysburg community. Through his practice, Mitchell Counseling LLC., founded in 2017, he offered mental health services including art therapy, grief and trauma therapy, and stress reduction therapy to children, adolescents, couples, and families. According to his Yelp page, he had over two decades of experience as a therapist. The Evening Sun noted that Mitchell’s now-defunct practice website mentioned that he had relocated from Kentucky to the Gettysburg area.
Families also encountered Mitchell at Gettysburg Montessori Charter School, where he was contracted to provide therapy services to students.
Behind this professional image, however, Mitchell was abusing children. In 2025, he was charged in two separate child sex abuse cases in Adams County — one tied to incidents at his home and private practice, and another involving a student at the charter school. Court records show he has since pleaded guilty in both cases and is scheduled to be sentenced in November 2025.
The First Case: Private Practice and Home
On January 7, 2025, Cumberland Township Police received a referral from Adams County Children and Youth Services. The referral consisted of a report from two sisters, ages five and seven, who alleged that Mitchell assaulted them at his Cumberland Township home. The children were interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center on January 21, where they described the incidents.
According to the Evening Sun, “The criminal complaint states that officers learned that the 7-year-old was at her friend’s house in the fall of 2024 when her friend’s father, identified as David Mitchell, is alleged to have ‘touched her inappropriately while he was holding her up to get onto a zipline on their property.’”
He touched the 7-year-old both under her shirt and inside her pants, the affidavit reported.
He also reportedly touched the 5-year-old “in her crotch area” while she was playing outside, according to documents.
On January 30, 2025, investigators received another referral against Mitchell from Children and Youth Services. This time, the victim was a patient of “Dr. Dave.”
“According to the affidavit, the victim was playing with clay during a therapy session when Mitchell allegedly ‘came up behind her’ and ‘put his hands down her shirt, massaging her.’” (Evening Sun)
On February 13, 2025, Cumberland Township Police charged Mitchell with three misdemeanor counts of indecent assault of a person under 13, three misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors, and three misdemeanor counts of indecent assault without consent of the other.
The Second Case: Gettysburg Montessori Charter School
On February 18, 2025, investigators received a Childline referral tied to Mitchell’s work at Gettysburg Montessori Charter School in Straban Township. Mitchell had been contracted to provide therapy services at the school since August 25, 2021, giving him access to students. In a now-deleted Gettysburg Times column, Mitchell wrote that he, a grief counseling specialist, “received referrals from a local children’s nonprofit” and “‘facilitated five to seven groups per week and saw individual clients’ at the school.” (Evening Sun)
A first-grader reported that Mitchell touched her under her shirt during one-on-one counseling sessions at the school. Investigators said she attended both group and individual classes with Mitchell, but the abuse only happened when they were alone. According to the police, Mitchell touched the victim inappropriately multiple times and would put her onto his lap “even though there were other chairs.”
In March 2025, Gettysburg Pennsylvania State Police filed new, separate charges against Mitchell: intercourse or sexual contact with a student, corruption of minors, and indecent assault of a person under 13.
Guilty Pleas and Sentencing
On August 25, 2025, Mitchell pleaded guilty in both of his Adams County cases.
In the Cumberland Township case, he pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of indecent assault of a person under 13, while the remaining charges were withdrawn as part of a plea agreement.
In the Straban Township case, he pleaded guilty to one felony count of intercourse or sexual contact with a student. The remaining charges were withdrawn.
Sentencing in both cases is scheduled for November 13, 2025, before the Adams County Court of Common Pleas.
A Betrayal of Trust
The professional persona Mitchell crafted now stands in stark contrast to the criminal cases against him. He promised healing, but instead caused profound harm. On Mitchell Counseling’s Yelp profile, he had written, “I am deeply passionate about my service as a therapist. I consider it a profound blessing to have the opportunity to be part of another person’s healing.”
The very role that made him appear to be a source of safety and guidance became the means by which he exploited trust. It is a profound betrayal and tragedy that a therapist who claimed to be dedicated to supporting individuals instead inflicted abuse.
Institutional Responsibility
Mitchell’s abuse highlights how a trusted professional can gain access to children through both private practice and school settings. His contract with the Gettysburg Montessori Charter School raises important questions about oversight. Were adequate background checks performed? Were safeguards in place to monitor therapy sessions? Were there clear policies for promptly reporting concerns?
While the criminal justice system will determine Mitchell’s punishment, civil law allows survivors to hold institutions accountable when they fail in their duty to protect children. Civil claims can provide survivors with financial resources for healing and drive organizations to adopt stronger policies that safeguard those in their care.
Our Firm’s Investigation of the David Mitchell Case
At Andreozzi + Foote, we represent survivors of sexual abuse against institutions in Pennsylvania and nationwide. We are actively investigating reports involving David Christopher Mitchell.
If you or someone you love were harmed by Mitchell, help is available.
We understand that speaking up about abuse can feel overwhelming, but you’re not alone. Your voice matters, and our team is here to listen. You deserve justice, and we’re ready to fight for you.
Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation.
