Cherokee Co. Police Department
Kelly Jean Hawkins, a 38-year-old substitute teacher at Gaffney High School in South Carolina, has been arrested after allegations of an improper relationship with a student.
According to Cherokee Co. Sheriff Steve Mueller, Hawkins has been charged with Sexual Battery with a Student 18 years of age. The warrant says there was no aggravated force or coercion.
She was arrested on April 25, 2018, and her bond was set at $1,087.
Investigators say there may have been multiple incidents, all of which happened off campus and outside of school hours between Sept 2017 and April 2018.
Sheriff Mueller says one of the sexual encounters happened at a hotel in North Carolina with several juveniles and alcohol present.
WSPA 7News has also reported that investigators “strongly believe” there may be multiple other victims.
The Sheriff says the encounters also happened at other locations – including in a vehicle and possibly at the suspect’s home – and says investigators strongly believe there are other victims.
The sheriff’s office is asking parents to speak with the kids to see if they were a victim or if they have any knowledge of other students being involved with Hawkins.
In the past few months, educators across the country have been accused and arrested for engaging in inappropriate relationships with their students. Brittney Whetzel in South Carolina, Tennessee teacher Janet Smothers, LaToya Parker, Florida teacher Caroline Lawson, 26-year-old Allyson Moran and Katherine Ross Ridenhour were all arrested on similar charges.
The list goes on to include 22-year-old Oklahoma science teacher Hunter Day, 28-year-old teacher Megan Kotarski, 23-year-old history teacher Michelle Schiffer, 29-year-old Alyssia Marie Reddy, special education teacher Jordan Ondish and 28-year-old Samantha Fitzpatrick have all been allegedly carrying on inappropriate relationships with their students.
In addition, 31-year-old Nicole Marie Andrews, 32-year-old Jessica Langford, 29-year-old Andrea Baber, 27-year-old Robin Dunlap, 27-year-old Jennifer Olajire-Aro have also been charged with these charges.
42-year-old Heather Butts of California was arrested on a second-degree felony charge, Nancy Leigh Ann Brann, a former Christian school teacher, was arrested for having sex with a student, Coine Audiat pleaded no contest to having sex with a minor in 2016 and 23-year-old Darci Lake was arrested for an inappropriate relationship. 27-year-old Brittany Zamora from Arizona was arrested on similar charges. Keri Hoffman, 35, was also arrested for an alleged relationship with a student.
