A 27-year-old South Carolina teacher arrested for allegedly committing sexual battery against a teenage student looked on during a bond hearing Thursday as the boy’s mother took her to task in court.
Reagan Anderson was fired from Holly Hill Academy in Orangeburg County after the school learned that the teacher was arrested on two counts of sexual battery without coercion against a 16- or 17-year-old student.
The private college preparatory school identified Anderson as a teacher.
“As a school community, we strive to always provide a safe and secure learning environment for all of our students,” the school said in a letter to parents, according to local ABC affiliate WCIV. “We cannot comment on this matter further at this time other than to assure you that we will continue to work with law enforcement and provide the needed support for our students and staff as we deal with this situation.”
Rumors began to swirl about the alleged illicit activity in early November. Students and a coach had reportedly noticed a photo of the suspect on the boy’s phone, as well as Snapchat activity that set off alarm bells. Anderson allegedly sent the student nude images on Snapchat.
Investigators with the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office alleged that the sexual battery offenses took place on Oct. 22 and Oct. 28, the former at a residence and the latter in a Pizza Hut parking lot.
Anderson was arrested on Nov. 15, one week after the sheriff’s office first learned of the case.
“We began investigating immediately after being notified of these allegations in order to prevent any further inappropriate contact with students,” Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in a statement, urging others with any more information to come forward.
Reagan Anderson (left inset) in an Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office mug shot, (right) during a court appearance (WCIV/screengrab)
When the defendant appeared in court on Nov. 16, the mother of the alleged victim did not hold back.
“A trusted coach, teacher, and friend that abused our trust and violated her oath as an educator, and has ruined our son’s life,” the mother said. “He should be 100 percent focused on being a fun-loving, football-playing young man, but this predator has robbed him of that ability.”
The defendant reportedly denied the allegations when confronted by the school.
The intro section on Reagan Anderson’s Facebook reads “Wife | Mama | Jesus.” The page listed her occupation as a third-grade teacher at Holly Hill Academy.
At the end of her Thursday hearing, Anderson’s bond was reportedly set at $2,500 and she was ordered not to contact the student or his family while she serves home detention and is subject to GPS monitoring.
Under South Carolina law, the felony sexual battery charges Anderson is accused of committing are punishable by not more than five years behind bars:
(B) If a person affiliated with a public or private secondary school in an official capacity engages in sexual battery with a student enrolled in the school who is sixteen or seventeen years of age, and aggravated coercion or aggravated force is not used to accomplish the sexual battery, the person affiliated with the public or private secondary school in an official capacity is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than five years.
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