A substitute English teacher in Florida is facing multiple sexual assault charges for allegedly having sex with a student on four separate occasions, after a recording of them engaging in sexual acts was shared on social media.
Ayanna Davis, 20, was arrested on Friday by detectives with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, after a Lakeland Senior High school student alerted school authorities on Dec. 3 of the video, which showed Davis having sex with another student.
Video Shared on Snapchat, Seen by School's Football Team
According to the sheriff's office, the video was shared on Snapchat and was seen by a large group of Lakeland High football players before it came to the school's attention. Police noted that the victim, a boy, was under the age of 17 when the alleged crimes occurred.
Lakeland police handed the case to the sheriff's office, after determining that Davis' residence is outside of Lakeland's city limits, in unincorporated Polk County.
During questioning, investigators were able to obtain a confession from Davis, with her admitting to having unprotected sex with the student on four separate occasions - twice at his house, and twice at hers.
Davis Charged with Sexual Battery
Davis has been charged with sexual battery and offenses against students by an authority figure, according to a Polk County Sheriff's Office news release. She was also served with the initial warrant from the Lakeland Police Department, which charged her with an additional two counts of sexual battery, police said. She was being held Monday on a $60,000 bond.
"This is a clear violation of sexual battery laws," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement regarding Davis' Friday arrest. "She was in a position of influence over the victim, and she took advantage of that for her own twisted pleasure."
Davis No Longer Permitted to Work at District Schools
Davis was not an employee of Polk County Public Schools, records show. She was employed through a staffing company, Kelly Education Services - a firm that occasionally recruits substitutes for schools in Polk County. The district has since ordered that Davis no longer be permitted to work at any of its schools.
"We expect substitute teachers to uphold the same high standards of conduct and professionalism as our full-time educators," Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid said in a statement. "The charges against this person are disgraceful and a complete violation of the trust that teachers build with their students. There is no room in our schools for this type of conduct."
Davis had been working at Lakeland High School as a substitute English teacher under the employment of school staffing company Kelly Education, a firm that occasionally recruits substitutes for schools in Polk County.
