Rob - banned
02-17-2005, 10:48 PM
Bethany Sherrill, a 24-year-old teacher in St. Francois County, has been charged with molesting a middle-school student who was 14 at the time of the alleged abuse. The Farmington school board accepted the woman’s resignation last month after police began investigating allegations.
Sherrill, who lives in Farmington, surrendered to authorities late Wednesday. She was released today on a $10,000 bond. She had worked for the Farmington School District for three years, first as a teacher’s aide and in the district’s middle school. When the alleged abuse occured, Sherrill taught special-needs students at Jefferson Elementary School.
According to court documents, police learned of the alleged abuse last month after the mother of a 16-year-old boy called authorities. The woman claimed to have found on her son’s cell phone sexually-tinged text messages from Sherrill, but the boy denied ever having a sexual relationship with the teacher.
While investigating that case, police learned of another student, now 15, who claimed that months earlier Bethany Sherrill performed oral sex on him in the basement of a third youth’s house. That boy told police he was in the bathroom when the alleged abuse occurred and that he did not have a sexual relationship with Sherrill. None of the boys were current students in any of Bethany Sherrill’s classes.
Sherrill denied the allegation in an interview with police, according to court documents.
If convicted, Sherrill faces up to seven years in prison
Sherrill, who lives in Farmington, surrendered to authorities late Wednesday. She was released today on a $10,000 bond. She had worked for the Farmington School District for three years, first as a teacher’s aide and in the district’s middle school. When the alleged abuse occured, Sherrill taught special-needs students at Jefferson Elementary School.
According to court documents, police learned of the alleged abuse last month after the mother of a 16-year-old boy called authorities. The woman claimed to have found on her son’s cell phone sexually-tinged text messages from Sherrill, but the boy denied ever having a sexual relationship with the teacher.
While investigating that case, police learned of another student, now 15, who claimed that months earlier Bethany Sherrill performed oral sex on him in the basement of a third youth’s house. That boy told police he was in the bathroom when the alleged abuse occurred and that he did not have a sexual relationship with Sherrill. None of the boys were current students in any of Bethany Sherrill’s classes.
Sherrill denied the allegation in an interview with police, according to court documents.
If convicted, Sherrill faces up to seven years in prison