A new school English teacher, D.R., 23, employed at Atlantic Coast High School (ACHS), was arrested and charged on November 14 with two counts of sexual battery on a student victim older than 12 but under 18, as reported by First Coast News.
On one occasion D.R. spoke to the victim's mother, in an elaborate plan to gain the other woman's trust and let her son come for a sleepover.
The student met with officers at the school and recounted a relationship that included oral sex and sexual intercourse on more than one occasion. Allegedly, the sexual trysts began on March 1, 2012 and ended on June 15, 2012.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) did not confirm for reporters that the victim was a student, however, a football coach at ACHS confirmed that school staffers were told that the victim was a student.
D.R. allegedly used a fictitious mother ruse – where she met the boy's mother and told her that her son "Josh" was inviting the victim to a sleepover at D.R.'s home. D.R. brought along her black Labrador, Dexter, to better play her part as an average mom.
"Josh" was a made-up friend that the victim used, as he knew his mother would not allow the sleep over.
The victim's mother believed D.R. and allowed the sleepover. In May the victim admitted to his mother what he had done and why. D.R. also allegedly confessed to the mother.
Both the victim and his mother gave accounts to the JSO about "Josh's" mom, the black lab and the sleepover.
Once D.R. was arrested, and detained on the Police Memorial Building, JSO questioned D.R. about where she lived, where she used to live, if she lived alone and if she owned a black lab named Dexter.
D.R. is currently being held in the Duval County Pretrial Detention Facility. Her bond has been set at $150,000. She will be in court next on December 3.
According to Jill Johnson, the spokesperson for Duval County Schools, D.R. was employed at ACHS for just over a year.
The Superintendent of Duval County Schools, Nikolai Vitti, released a statement that read, "I am deeply troubled by the allegations of sexual misconduct by a teacher. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the alleged victim. This behavior is not representative of the more than 8,000 teachers in our classrooms who are positive role models for our students."
According to Johnson, at the next School Board meeting scheduled for December 4, Vitti will be asking that D.R. be suspended without pay pending termination.
According to reporters, parents at ACHS learned via a letter sent home by the principal that the newly hired English teacher had been arrested for sexual battery of a student.
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