Police chronicles: The Eric Birth probe

WSU grid hero. Later a Winona High track coach. Now accused of coercing high school girls on his teams into sex.

How anonymous tip led police to carnal abuse arrest

WINONA, Minn. – Police were onto Eric Birth as a possible sexual offender in June. It began as anonymous tip. A social worker reported being told that a former Winona High School track athlete had been in a sexual relationship with Birth during her senior year. When a police investigator tried to interview the woman, now a graduate of Winna High, she said that the anonymous tip wasn’t true — that Birth was just her coach. This was in June. Her denial dead-emded the investigation. Six months later, on January 2, the girl reached out to the investigator, this asking to discuss her relationship with Birth again. Indeed, she said, there had been intimate liaisons. Investigators were back on the trail.

Breakthrough

A second person, now in her mid-20s, approached a police investigator January 18 – two weeks after police were told there had been an incident in 2022. This second woman alleged a sexual relationship with Birth in 2016 when she was a junior at Winona High School. She said she had confided in Birth, her track coach, about personal issues. Birth offered to help however he could. They flirted through text messages during the spring track season. They began a sexual relationship in the summer. The relationship continued into the fall.

Forensic evidence: Where now?

Later in January, two other women approached police about a video of Birth having sex with another female student. They said they had used Birth’s phone to take a photo of themselves during a track practice. On the phone they stumbled on an image of another student performing oral sex on Birth. They returned the phone to Birth. They didn’t tell anyone what they saw. Unclear was whether police ever obtained the video.

Another woman comes forward

An investigator spoke with the woman in the video. She acknowledged a sexual relationship Birth in April and May 2017. She was 17 at the time and, yes, on the high school track team. She said that she had confided with him about personal issues. Pressed by the police investigator about the video, she said she was unaware of being recorded.

A 2022 allegation

The criminal complaint against Birth says he started a Snapchat instant-messaging group in January 2022, ahead of the spring track season. The girls were already running. The criminal complaint cites these further allegations:

> Birth deleted himself from the Snapshot group but gave his number to two Snapchat members.

> Birth began text messaging with one of the Snapchat members.

> The girl, a high school senior, confided with Birth online about personal issues. She met with him April 24 to talk in person and privately. This was in Winona and in her car.

> While chatting, Birth kissed the girl, which she recalled made her uncomfortable. Birth then pulled her from the car and kissed her more. He pulled his pants down, forced her on her knees, and made her perform oral sex while he held her head down. He wanted her to get in the back of the car and go further. She refused.

> Birth continued to try to get the girl into a relationship for a week or two.

Birth learns he’s targeted

At some point Birth became aware that word was out about the affairs. One of the athletes said that Birth had called and warned her that she was likely to get a call from the high school principal about their relationship. Indeed, the principal called. To the principal she denied any relationship. Her mother, she later explained, was sitting next to her during the principal’s call.

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