A Wisconsin teacher accused of sexual misconduct with an 11-year-old male student was revealed to have exchanged more than 33,000 “explicit” text messages with the victim. KARE-TV video report.
As Blaze News previously reported, Madison Bergman, 24, a former teacher at River Crest Elementary School in Hudson, was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a fifth-grade student last spring.
The accusations against the teacher were reportedly made just three months before her wedding.
The alleged illicit relationship came to light when the boy's parents saw eyebrow-raising text messages from Bergman to their son. The text reportedly said the teacher and student were “kissing, touching, and making out.”
The boy's father visited the school with a printout of the conversation and notified school administrators, after which law enforcement got involved.
Police launched an investigation and reportedly found a folder with the name of the alleged victim written on it. The folder contained handwritten notes detailing kissing and fondling between the boy and the teacher, according to the criminal complaint.
According to investigators, Bergman told police that he gave the 11-year-old boy's phone number to the student's mother when she accompanied him on a winter ski trip.
The accusations against the teacher were reportedly made just three months before her wedding.
Bergman was arrested and initially charged with first-degree child sexual assault.
However, Bergman faced nine additional felonies in August. The charges include one count of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, one count of exposing a child to a harmful substance, two counts of luring a child causing mental or physical harm, and five counts of criminal mischief. . Sexual misconduct by school personnel.
A preliminary hearing in the case began Monday in St. Croix County Circuit Court.
Bergman's attorney argued that his client was overcharged.
But school resource officer Tracy Hall said in court that Bergman and the victim exchanged “approximately 33,000” text messages earlier this year, and that the relationship became more sexual and explicit over time. He added that it has become a thing. The New York Post reported..
Prosecutor Karl Anderson read some of the emails in court, noting that the messages turned sexual on April 27.
Mr Anderson told Mr Hall: “There is a conversation about whether the victim was in pain and whether she felt it during the hug.” “Did she admit what she felt?”
She answered “Yes”.
Anderson then asked, “What else did she say?”
“She started wearing dresses more often because she liked the way he touched her legs,” Hall said.
According to the newspaper, Mr. Anderson asked Mr. Hall, “Has Ms. Bergman ever hinted at sexual arousal in her text messages?''
Ms. Hall responded, “She's talking about getting wet in the classroom.”
Bergman's lawyers argued that the text messages alone did not support the five charges of sexual misconduct.
“At no time did she say, 'I want to have sex with you,' and at no time did he say, 'I want you to have sex with me,'” attorney Joseph Tamburino said.
“They talk a lot about kissing and touching their lips and cheeks and feet, but they never talk about 'what I want you to do' or 'what I want to do to you,'” Tamburino said. No,” he insisted.
However, the judge disagreed and declared the text messages to be admissible evidence of sexual misconduct.
“It is clear that the state has met its burden of finding probable cause that the defendant committed a felony,” the judge ruled, and the case moved forward. “Clearly there was probable cause presented by detectives today. This case will go to trial.”
You can view the video report here About the incident.
Mr. Bergman has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
She was released from jail after posting a $25,000 signature bond.
The Hudson School District has issued a statement to parents regarding the alleged teacher sex scandal.
School officials said in a statement: “It is deeply concerning to all of us to learn of this alleged inappropriate conduct that is a breach of trust with school staff.” said. “We understand the gravity of this situation and are committed to providing the necessary support to the children who may be affected.”
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