A staff member who worked at a children's treatment facility in Dyersburg was charged with two counts of statutory rape after she drove to Nashville to have sex with a former teenage patient.
Lindsay Shelton, 29, was arrested in Dyersburg onWednesday and was brought to Nashville on Friday afternoon, according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD). Investigators say Shelton drove to Nashville on two occasions to have sex with the 17-year-old, who was discharged from the McDowell Center for Children last month.
The Boy's Parents Caught Shelton Having Sex with Their Son
Shelton was an employee at the residential treatment facility, which provides treatment for adolescent males aged 12-17 who are experiencing mental health, behavioral and substance abuse issues, according to the facility's website.
According to police, the boy's parents caught Shelton having sex with their son in their home on a Wednesday afternoon on July 21. Investigators later learned that Shelton visited the teen once before when his parents were at work on July 1 and also engaged in sex with him at the time.
Between June 15 and July 21, Shelton and the teen exchanged more than 8,900 text messages and made 182 phone calls to each other. "Shelton is alleged to have been in a supervisory role and in a position of trust over the teen while he was in the facility and used that position of trust to initiate a sexual relationship with him after his discharge," MNPD said in a press release.
Shelton is currently being held in Metro Jail in lieu of a $40,000 bond. According to state law, statutory rape by an authority figure is recognized as a Class C Felony in Tennessee and is punishable by three to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Last month, a Dyersburg nurse had her license suspended and was ordered to cease and desist practicing over alleged misconduct involving patients. Kelly McCallum was accused of bringing sex toys to work and being involved in a sexual relationship with one of her patients, among other things allegations, as reported by WREG.
