Teacher Sexually Abused Underage Student, Then Created Fake Phone Numbers to Stalk Victim: Sheriff

NEED TO KNOW

• A 28-year-old Colorado gym teacher was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a child, internet exploitation, and stalking, authorities said this week

• Teresa Whalin is accused of having a year-long inappropriate sexual relationship with an underage middle school student

• The student reportedly told police Whalin then became jealous of the student’s new relationship and allegedly began stalking them outside of school

A Colorado middle school gym teacher was arrested this week on charges of child sexual assault, exploitation and stalking after a student told authorities they became afraid when the teacher began following them to and from school, allegedly after the student ended a year-long sexual relationship to be with a classmate.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced 28-year-old Teresa Whalin’s arrest on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Whalin was a gym teacher at Ranch View Middle School in Highland Ranch, Colo., at the time of her arrest on Monday, according to reports by ABC7, The Denver Post, and KDVR.

Whalin was charged with sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust, internet exploitation of a child, and stalking, according to the sheriff’s office. Authorities said Whalin remains in custody this week at the Douglas County Detention Facility and is being held on a $50,000 bond.

“Whalin has been employed by the Douglas County School District since July 2021,” the sheriff’s office said, adding that the teacher has since “been placed on administrative leave” by the school district, which says it’s cooperating with the police investigation.

Citing an arrest affidavit, ABC7 reported that police became aware of Whalin’s alleged criminal activity after a middle school student told their counselor the alleged details of their year-long sexual relationship between April 2023 and April 2024. The student is about 12 years younger than Whalin, according to the Post, which also cited an arrest affidavit.

According to the affidavit, the child told authorities they were experiencing mental health challenges during the 2023 school year and began spending time with Whalin after school in her office. Their relationship allegedly became sexual and the teacher allegedly began driving the underage student to and from school without their parents’ knowledge, ABC7 reported, citing the affidavit.

The Post, citing the affidavit, reported that the student alleged they and the teacher would often exchanged photos on Snapchat, went out to eat, and spent time together in her school office.

According to the affidavit, the student alleged that they broke off the relationship with Whalin, telling the teacher that they wished to be in a relationship with a classmate instead. Subsequently, Whalin allegedly began showing up along the student’s route to and from school, causing the student to grow afraid of the teacher, believing that Whalin was jealous about the student’s new relationship.

The police affidavit alleges Whalin “struggled with the breakup,” according to the Post. The newspaper reported that Whalin confessed to having a sexual relationship with the child, as well as sending nude images to them and later making fake phone numbers to contact and harass them following the breakup.

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Officials with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office asked that “anyone who may have information regarding this case or who believes they or someone they know might also be a victim of Whalin to contact” their office.

“This is still an active and ongoing investigation,” authorities said. No further information was available from the sheriff’s office as of Thursday morning.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

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