Molly Mersereau, Gulf Breeze Point High School in Florida arrested having lesbian relationship with 17 year old female student who she supplied a burner phone to continue clandestine conversations upon finding out she was being investigated.
A Florida teacher with Santa Rosa County District Schools is alleged to have have a same sex relationship with a 17 year old female student.
Molly Mersereau, 36, of Navarre, and a teacher at Gulf Breeze Point High School was arrested on Tuesday following a tip off with the Gulf Breeze Point Department leading to an investigation and an eventual arrest.
According to the arrest report, the alleged 17-year-old victim, was seen riding in Mersereau’s vehicle during school trips, spending time in the vehicle before class, among other behaviors deemed inappropriate.
Florida teacher supplied 17 year old victim burner phone after finding out investigation was launched
Once deputies began investigating, they discovered Mersereau had given the student a burner phone so they could discreetly communicate with each other according to WEAR-TV.
Despite the teacher being aware of an investigation having been launched, Mersereau is alleged to have continued to attempt to communicate with the victim through a burner phone according to Santa Rosa County Chief Deputy Randy Tifft.
‘Even while she knew the investigation was going on, she got another cell phone to get to the minor so that they can still communicate and try to circumvent this investigation,’ he said.
The arrest report documented the teacher and her 17 year old victim exchanging love letters to each other for months, Pensacola News Journal reported.
Deputies found evidence at the victim’s home, then found additional evidence at the teacher’s home, leading to Mersereau’s arrest.
‘Not really sure how long it lasted, how long when it really started,’ Tifft said. ‘There’s letters dating back several months that they were writing between each other.’
Tifft says their investigation determined nothing inappropriate happened at the school.
Investigators said the student denied having any type of relationship with the teacher. Under Florida law, minors are unable to consent to any type of sexual advance or relationship.
Mersereau appeared in court on Wednesday where she faced charges of felony engagement in a romantic relationship with a student by a school authority, felony second-degree criminal solicitation, misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and two counts of use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
The judge set Mersereau’s bond totaling $30,000 with conditions of wearing a passive GPS and not having any contact with the victim according to NBC15.
Of note, Mersereau’s profile has since been removed from the school’s website. The educator has since been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of legal proceedings.
Come Friday, the educator continued to remain held at Santa Rosa County Jail.
Mersereau is next scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 21
