A Wisconsin elementary school teacher has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with an 11-year-old student, just 3 months before her wedding, reported CBS. St Paul resident, Madison Bergmann, 24, is now facing serious charges, including first-degree child sexual assault involving a child under the age of 13.
The complaint, filed in St Croix County on Thursday, revealed that police were alerted to concerning behaviour at River Crest Elementary School in Hudson. The report specifically cited inappropriate conduct between Ms Bergmann and a 5th-grade student.
Authorities were provided with screenshots of text exchanges between the victim and Ms Bergmann, found by the victim's parents. She was reportedly texting the child “daily” and telling him how much she enjoyed “making out” with him and him touching her. These encounters allegedly took place within the school premises, during lunch breaks or after school hours, as per the police reports.
The police also found a folder inside Ms Bergmann's bag with the victim's name on it, containing a number of handwritten notes detailing their physical interactions. The duration of the abuse remains unclear. However, Ms Bergmann revealed that she got the child's phone number from his mother in December, during a winter break trip to the Afton Alps. This was also the month when she got engaged to her long-time boyfriend. She was set to get married three months later, in July, reported the NY Times.
The school's Principal Kimberly Osterhues in a message to parents, "We are shocked and disturbed by this news. Our primary concern is for the well-being of the River Crest School community and the children affected.”
Ms Bergmann was released on a $25,000 bond and has been prohibited from entering school premises or attending school events. She will next appear in court on May 30th.
