An Illinois teacher charged with criminal sexual abuse could face up to seven years in prison if convicted for having an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student.
Erin Kemp, 38, admitted to police detectives that she had a month-long relationship that was “inappropriate” with the student in September.
Kemp appeared in Tazewell County Circuit court Monday, but details of her plea agreement were unavailable, the New York Daily News reported.
Kemp reportedly told investigators that she had inappropriately touched the boy and kissed him. However, she denied having sex with the student.
The student disputed her claims, telling the county children’s advocacy center that the teacher made sexual contact with him, the International Business Times reported.
A school resource officer, who also works as a Morton Police detective, discovered Kemp dismissed class early for lunch. He went over the surveillance video that showed physical actions between the teacher and the student.
The surveillance video “demonstrated a level of familiarity and comfort that was inappropriate between a teacher and student,” according to a court affidavit obtained by the Pekin Daily Times.
A forensic examination of the victim’s cellphone showed evidence of the illicit relationship, such as text messages from Kemp expressing her desire to spend all day with him and expressing concerns about him going away from her.
Kemp, who got hired as a teacher at Morton School in August 2007, resigned from her job as a business teacher on September 17, 2020.
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