The former education director at a Florida foster home and school for boys was arrested for having sex with a male student at least 15 times, numerous sources reported.
Reeghan Burgess, 30, was charged with being an authority figure soliciting sex with a student, interference with custody of a minor, and six counts of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, WWSB reported Tuesday.
ARRESTED: Reeghan Lynn Burgess, 30, was arrested on six counts of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, soliciting to engage in sexual conduct with a student, and interference with custody of a minor. https://t.co/Bf2FkdHTl8
— Gage Goulding – NBC2 (@GageGoulding) April 17, 2021
Burgess was a director of education at Crossroads Hope Academy in Charlotte County, which is a nonprofit home and school for boys who have had failed foster care placements.
Burgess allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old student at least 15 times, and was allegedly seen on another occasion having a sexual encounter with the student while she was driving students back to school after a field trip in November 2020, WWSB reported.
Days after witnesses told the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office about the sexual encounter between Burgess and the student, the teacher was fired from the school.
In January, the student disappeared from the school, police said, according to WWSB. The student allegedly said he ran away so he could live with Burgess.
Upon her arrest on April 16, Burgess told police she bought the boy dinner and helped him buy products he needed to live away from the home, WWSB reported. Burgess reportedly said she didn’t tell authorities about the student’s whereabouts because she was scared, and left a note following an interview that said the boy was at her house.
Police found the boy at her house. He told investigators that he had been living in the shed behind Burgess’ house since he ran away from the school, WWSB reported.
He also reportedly told police Burgess had sex with him at least 15 times.
The school’s executive said officials called the child abuse hotline in response to concerns from staff, and said “this is the first time we have faced these issues,” according to WWSB.
“We are shocked and saddened by the allegations and will cooperate with authorities, and we will continue to put the safety and well-being of our kids first,” the statement said.
Burgess is being held on $1 million bond.
Numerous other educators and school staff members were arrested in April on sex-offense related charges targeting minors.
A math teacher at a New York high school was arrested Monday on charges that she raped a 15-year-old male student.
NEW VIDEO: Police officers transferring 28-year-old Holbrook resident Veronica Pezdan to Central Islip where she will face a judge virtually on charges of Rape 3rd Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.@News12LI #news12li #suffolkcounty #LongIsland pic.twitter.com/U2qJILnIyH
— Caroline Flynn (@ReporterCFlynn) April 20, 2021
Days before the New York teacher’s arrest, a former Texas public school teacher was arrested after being accused of having had a sexual relationship with a former student. The former student alledged that he and the teacher had sex not long after the boy turned 13. (RELATED: Police Arrest A Math Teacher As She Was Leaving Her High School For Allegedly Having Sex With A Male Student)