A former middle school teacher was extradited to Delaware on multiple counts of rape May 8, after allegations arose that she had been in a sexual relationship with a student in 2014, police say.
Delaware State Police arrested Reed Messer, 42, outside her home in Greenville, South Carolina, in late April, according to a press release from the department. Officers charged Messer with two counts of sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust, 10 counts of third-degree rape and 10 counts of fourth-degree rape.
Reed Messer, 42, was extradited to Delaware on Monday after being arrested at her home in Greenville, South Carolina, according to Delaware State Police.https://t.co/XNDqXmmLyp
— WJBF (@WJBF) May 10, 2023
The Delaware Division of Family Services filed a report in December 2022 alleging that while Messer was working as a middle school teacher at Stanton Middle School “approximately nine years prior,” she purportedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a student. The alleged relationship began in October 2014 and lasted for about two months, according to the press release. (RELATED: Police Arrest ‘Teacher Of The Year’ On Child Sex Abuse, Pornography Charges)
Though Messer has not been employed by the Red Clay Consolidated School District since November 2014, she appears to have been employed by a Greenville, South Carolina, charter school called Legacy Early College in the time since, WSAZ reported.
The South Carolina State Board of Education (SCDE) suspended Messer on May 5 in the wake of the allegations, according to a report from the board.
“The SCDE has reason to believe that, due to the serious nature of these allegations of misconduct, Ms. Messer may pose a threat to the health, safety, and welfare of students, who may be under her instruction and that emergency action is required. After considering the evidence presented by the SCDE, the Chair of the State Board finds that Ms. Messer’s educator certificate shall be summarily suspended until a due process hearing is held and/or this matter is otherwise resolved,” the suspension order reads.
Messer is currently being held on a $310,000 cash bond, according to the police department.