Former 'rookie teacher of the year' arrested for allegedly having sex with teen student

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. (TCD) -- A 31-year-old drama teacher in Hialeah was arrested this week for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old student.

WPLG-TV reports Brittiny Lopez-Murray, who formerly taught at Hialeah Middle School, faces 25 charges, including six counts of sexual performance by a child/promote, three counts of lewd and lascivious sexual battery, three counts of lewd and lascivious molestation, and engaging in a sexual act with a familial child, among other charges.

Lopez-Murray and the victim’s relationship allegedly began in August. The victim’s sister reportedly discovered "explicit text messages and photos" between the two of them on her brother’s phone and alerted their parents. According to the Miami Herald, the boy’s father investigated further and found photos of Lopez-Murray’s "exposed breasts and vagina." Text messages between the two reportedly detailed "how much they enjoyed the sex with each other."

The boy reportedly told detectives that Lopez-Murray sent him a text back in August, "where she expressed her feelings toward" him. They later met for coffee, which allegedly led to multiple sex acts in her car. The Miami Herald reports that the sex acts happened numerous times, including when she would pick him up from basketball practice.

Lopez-Murray was booked to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Monday.

According to the Miami Herald, back in 2017, Lopez-Murray was named "rookie teacher of the year." The tweet announcing her award has since been taken down.

The Miami Herald reports the Miami-Dade School District said in a statement it was "saddened and disappointed over these serious allegations given that the District takes great measures to ensure our students are educated in safe learning environments."

In addition, the district will "bbegin the process of terminating her employment and prevent her from seeking future work with this District."

On Tuesday, Lopez-Murray appeared in Miami-Dade County Court for a bond hearing for all 25 charges, WPLG reports.

The Miami Herald says Lopez-Murray did not talk during Tuesday’s court hearing. She was released on bond Tuesday and isn’t allowed unsupervised visits with minors.

She is scheduled for a trial hearing on Nov. 3.

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