Former Delaware special education teacher accused of having sexual relationship with student
05/11/2023 3:14 pm PDT
DOVER, Del. (TCD) -- Delaware State Police have arrested and charged a 42-year-old former teacher at her South Carolina home on multiple charges of child sexual abuse and rape.
According to a news release from the Delaware State Police, on Dec. 23, 2022, officials received a tip from Delaware Division of Family Services alleging that a former Stanton Middle School teacher, Reed Messer, engaged in a sexual relationship with an underage student in October 2014. The relationship reportedly lasted around two months.
On April 26, troopers obtained an arrest warrant for Messer, and law enforcement in South Carolina arrested her at her Greenville home.
State police said she was extradited back to Delaware, and on May 8, she was charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust, 10 counts of third-degree rape, and 10 counts of fourth-degree rape. Her bond was set at $310,000.
According to state police, Messer has not worked for the Red Clay Consolidated School District, which includes Stanton Middle School, since November 2014.
The Associated Press reports that Messer started working for Legacy Early College, a charter school in Greenville, South Carolina, after leaving Delaware.
In July 2015, Messer was reportedly certified to teach in South Carolina for elementary and early childhood education, middle-level language arts, English, and special education.
On May 5, the South Carolina Board of Education suspended Messer’s educator certificate due to the charges. The state board said, "Messer’s educator certificate shall be summarily suspended until a due process hearing is held and/or this matter is otherwise resolved."
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