A Florida teacher was sentenced for having a sexual relationship with one of her former students two years ago.
Kristen O'Brien, 33, was sentenced to five years and five months in prison in addition to 55 months of probation, according to the State Attorney's Office. O'Brien was also officially registered as a sex offender.
O'Brien Engaged in Sexual Encounter with the Boy at His Home
O'Brien used to be a teacher at United Brethren in Christ Academy in Holly Hill, as reported by WFTV. She was arrested in October 2020 for engaging in a sexual encounter with her student over the age of 12 but younger than 16. She quit her job at the school a month before her arrest.
O'Brien said on one occasion, the boy touched her in a sexual manner while they were under a blanket on the couch at his home, the newspaper reported. O'Brien also allegedly admitted to having a sexual encounter in the family's home in September.
O'Brien Arrested After Mother Found Out About the Inappropriate Relationship
The student's parents called police after the mother said she figured out what was going on between the teacher and her son. The boy's mother noticed an "inappropriate" conversation on text and Instagram between her child and O'Brien.
When the mother confronted O'Brien at a Steak and Shake, she allegedly admitted to having an "inappropriate emotional relationship" and a "crush" on the boy.
She claimed that she had given the boy three options: They could pretend she never told him she had a crush; they could end communication with each other; or they could do whatever they wanted and not care about any repercussions, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.
The WFTV report said the teacher even tried to "make (the boy) jealous" by tutoring his brother and taking him to McDonald's. O'Brien started trying to get closer to the child's mother and family, hanging out with them weekly and then every few days, according to the report.
