Heather Henry, a 48-year-old teacher at Immaculate Conception School in Celina, Ohio, has been arrested and charged after she allegedly had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy.
On Wednesday, January 23, a Mercer County grand jury has charged Henry on 8 criminal counts, which includes 4 counts of sexual battery, two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, and one count of failure to comply with underage alcohol laws.
Police say that the charges against Henry stem from three separate incidents which occurred on December 22, December 31, and the weekend of January 4th.
According to Celina Police Chief Tom Wale, the victim is not a Celina resident or a student at Immaculate Conception School.
Henry was arrested on Friday, January 11 and was subsequently placed on administrative leave by the Immaculate Conception School.
At this time, Henry is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, February 6.
As for why there has been such a significant increase in instances of teachers having inappropriate relationships with students, researchers believe that technology is to blame.
According to a report from the Texas Education Association, smartphones make easy for teachers to privately text and talk with students and also make it possible for teachers and students to share explicit images.
SESAME (Stop Educator Sexual Abuse Misconduct & Exploitation) President Terri Miller echoed that sentiment, stating “before cell phones, we knew who our kids were talking to” but today, “kids have their own phones, they’re taking them to bed, and parents need to watch more.”
Hoffman has been one of many teachers to be charged for inappropriate conduct. Over the course of just a few months, teachers across the United States have been charged, tried, and convicted of various abuse and sex crimes.
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.
Most recently, teachers such as 29-year-old Haylie Smart, 25-year-old Alaina Ferguson, 26-year-old Amy Nowaczyk, and 32-year-old Laura Bucy were arrested and charged for similar crimes.
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That is all the information available at this time. This article will be updated with new and relevant information should it become available.