Florida science teacher arrested and charged after having sex with 8th grader

A married, female teacher from New Smyrna Beach Middle School in Florida was arrested, “on charges that she had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old student and sent him nude photos,” according to a February 28 release from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO.) Following her arrest, the 26-year-old teacher, Stephanie Peterson – aka Stephanie Ferri – was charged with two counts of lewd or lascivious battery and one count of transmission of harmful materials to a minor. Peterson taught science at the middle school where she entered into a sexual relationship with the eighth grader.

That relationship began in November 2017 and started with the teacher sending nude photos of herself to the student, according to Fox News.

A detective responded to the victim’s family’s home Tuesday after the student disclosed the relationship to his parents. The student, an 8th grader, told detectives Peterson would send him nude photos. He said she started coming to his home at night, picking him up around 11 p.m. on several occasions and bringing him back around 1 or 2 a.m. ~ per VCSO

The eighth grader informed the detective that Peterson told him that they couldn’t tell anyone about their relationship or they’d get in trouble. He also said she bought him marijuana and bowls for smoking it. The 14-year-old also told investigators that his grades began to suffer after the relationship with the teacher began. CBS News reports that the victim was a student of Peterson’s when he was a seventh grader and that when he advanced to eighth grade, he became her teacher’s aide.

Also See: Former ‘Teacher of the Year’ facing life in prison for soliciting minor online

After being arrested, booked into county jail, charged and hit with a $25,000 release bond, Peterson resigned from her teaching position at New Smyrna Beach Middle School. After her initial court appearance, Peterson’s release bond was lowered to $12,500, according to The Daily Mail.

Volusia County detectives are asking parents to talk to their kids, and anyone with information about any additional potential victims is asked to contact the VCSO Child Exploitation Unit at 386-323-3574.

Peterson and her firefighter husband who were married in 2015 are currently in the midst of a divorce. For more on the story, see the video accompanying this article.