Authorities in Florida have arrested a teacher accused of having a s*xual relationship with a student who allegedly found her crying in her classroom.
Erika Mattson, 36, was charged by the Panama City Police Department with a felony count of engaging in s*xual conduct with a student in a position of authority. The allegations stem from claims that the student, who was 18 at the time, began a “s*xual and romantic relationship” with Mattson in May 2023.
According to an affidavit filed by law enforcement, the relationship started after the student approached Mattson while she was upset in her classroom. Mattson, who had previously been the student’s middle school teacher, worked at the Kaleidoscope School of Discovery in Panama City at the time of the incident.
The student, whose identity remains undisclosed, informed police that he and Mattson began exchanging messages and flirting while he was still enrolled in school. He also recounted a date where they planned to go to a local cinema, but instead ended up “talking and making out” outside.
Days later, the student alleged that Mattson invited him to her home, where they engaged in s*xual activity. The affidavit indicates that while he could not provide an exact number of times this occurred, he stated it happened multiple times before his graduation.
Additionally, the student shared photos that included “shirtless images of himself with [Mattson] embracing him” and kissing, as evidence to law enforcement.
Mattson was booked into the Bay City Jail, where she later posted a $25,000 bond for her release. She is scheduled to appear in court for her arraignment on May 15.
