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Florida teacher Heather M. Mashburn-Smith is accused of having sex with a 17-year-old student on school grounds twice, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) announced Wednesday.
Detectives in CCSO’s Major Crimes Unit were alerted to potential illegal sexual activity between Mashburn-Smith, a teacher at Port Charlotte High School in Port Charlotte, Florida, and a student, the office said.
The alert reportedly came through a mobile app called ParentSquare, the school’s principal James Vernon told sheriffs, according to Gulf Coast News.
Sheriffs discovered probable cause to arrest Mashburn-Smith, alleging she had sexual intercourse with the student twice over the course of the last month, according to a CCSO statement.
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The student reportedly told investigators that the pair began communicating on the social media messaging platform Snapchat, according to an affidavit obtained by Gulf Coast News.
The student reportedly told Mashburn-Smith she was pretty in the messages, at which point she summoned him to her classroom to ask him about the messages, the outlet reported. She then began flirting with him and the pair had sex in her classroom twice over the course of four or five weeks, Gulf Coast News reported.
Mashburn-Smith confessed to the crimes and was charged with Unlawful Activity with Certain Minors, the sheriff’s office said. The charge, typically a second-degree felony under Florida state law, is enhanced to a first-degree felony because of Mashburn-Smith’s position as a teacher.
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“The actions of this individual are a direct violation of the duty every educator owes to students and families. We will not tolerate anything that compromises student safety,” Charlotte County Public Schools Superintendent Mark Vianello said in a statement.
“This individual has been placed on administrative leave as we work closely with law enforcement and pursue full accountability. Our focus remains on protecting our students and responding decisively,” Vianello concluded.
A first-degree charge of Unlawful Activity with Certain Minors can carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison according to Florida penal codes.
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“What this woman has done is not just unlawful, it is damaging to the students and staff around her. Teachers are meant to be people that students can trust and seek out for mentorship, guidance, and encouragement. This individual took advantage of that vulnerability and preyed on one of the people she was entrusted to protect,” CCSO Sheriff Bill Prummell said in a statement.
“We take that very seriously in Charlotte County, and I applaud my Major Crimes detectives for their quick and appropriate actions to intervene, investigate, and make an arrest,” Prummell concluded.
Fox News Digital contacted CCSO and Charlotte County Public Schools for additional comment but did not immediately receive a response.
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