A high school employee in Delaware was recently arrested after sending explicit images to a 16-year-old student, authorities say.
Emma Brewington, 21, stands accused of one count of providing obscenity materials to a person under the age of 18, according to a press release issued by the Delaware State Police.
The defendant works as a paraprofessional at Laurel High School in the small town of the same name – which is located in the southwest corner of the state, roughly 15 minutes away from the Maryland border. Brewington hails from nearby Millsboro.
On Oct. 16, a criminal investigations unit with the state police received a tip from the high school that Brewington sent explicit images to the alleged victim, law enforcement allege. The nature of those referenced images has not been made public.
It is currently unclear if Brewington is still employed there. As of this writing, the school’s staff website does not contain any information.
A nearly monthlong investigation determined the teacher’s aide and the student in question “had been communicating electronically since September,” state police said. “The messages and photographs continued until the student’s parent learned of the relationship and reported it to the school.”
After the student’s parent told school officials, however, the communications between the two allegedly ceased, according to law enforcement.
“During the investigation, detectives found explicit photos sent by Brewington on the student’s phone,” the press release reads.
Emma Brewington appears in a booking photo. (Delaware State Police)
On Nov. 14, a warrant was issued for the educator’s arrest. Brewington turned herself in to Delaware State Police Troop 4 in Georgetown on Nov. 16. The defendant was released on her own recognizance soon after her arrest and arraignment by a justice of the peace, police said.
She is next slated to appear at the Sussex County Court of Common Pleas on Nov. 22 for a preliminary hearing.
The crime of obscenity is typically a class G felony under First State law – the lowest class of felonies. The crime becomes a class E felony, and the potential penalty becomes significantly higher, if a minor is identified as the recipient of obscene material in Delaware.
Brewington faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison if convicted as presently charged.
Law&Crime reached out to the Delaware State Police for additional details on this story. In response, a spokesperson directed us to file a freedom of information act request under state law. That request is pending.
Law&Crime also reached out to the Delaware Department of Justice for comment on this case but no response from the agency was immediately forthcoming as of the time of publication.
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