A 32-year-old teacher in West Monroe, Louisiana, is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy.
Officials say the teacher allegedly sent the boy naked photos and inappropriately touched him while they were inside her vehicle with her baby was present, the New York Post reported Thursday.
Teacher molested 15-year-old boy in her car, was worried she wouldn’t be his ‘first’: court docs https://t.co/dv9YFI7LlA pic.twitter.com/1tKxsFsyu6
— New York Post (@nypost) January 5, 2024
The suspect was identified as Tatum Hatch, whom authorities arrested Wednesday. The outlet said, “She and the teen exchanged indecent messages for about a year and a half in which she suggested he come through her bedroom window to have sex with her, court documents allege.”
During one alleged incident, the two met near the boy’s home, and she allegedly touched his genitals while her baby was in the car with them.
She is also accused of telling the boy that she was afraid he would find someone else to be his “first” when he confessed to her that he was frightened.
According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) website, perpetrators of child sexual abuse are often someone the victim or family knows.
“They can have any relationship to the child, including an older sibling or playmate, family member, a teacher, a coach or instructor, a caretaker, or the parent of another child,” the organization said.
Once the victim’s father learned about the alleged incidents, he called law enforcement. When the boy met with investigators working for the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, he showed them Instagram messages the pair had exchanged.
It is important to note that according to recent reports, “Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta implementation of encrypted messaging on Facebook and Instagram facilitated predatory behavior against children,” per Breitbart News.
The Post article said the teacher resigned in December when the investigation began.
The woman also allegedly sent nude images of herself, but those disappeared because she used Instagram’s vanish option. However, court papers say a forensic download found one of the naked images.
Hatch was charged with computer-aided solicitation of a minor, per an inmate inquiry webpage. She was released from custody once she posted a $10,000 bond, KTVE reported Thursday.
