A Delaware English teacher accused of having sex with a 13-year-old boy who she allegedly sexted with on multiple occasions appeared in court for the first time this morning.
Suspended Fred Fifer III Middle School teacher Stephanie Seabury faced a preliminary hearing in Kent County Friday morning.
Seabury surrendered to Dover Police late last month on a sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust charge.
- PREVIOUS COVERAGE: English Teacher Has Sex With Student: Police
Police allege the 22-year-old first-year teacher would meet her teenage student and then drive him to her unit at Woodmill Apartments at 1300 S Farmview Drive in Dover.
"It was a very highly inappropriate relationship," said Dover Police Cpl. Mark Hoffman. "Especially with a 13-year-old and a 22-year-old, and, of course, being a teacher."
Police say that on Feb. 26, Seabury and her student were captured on surveillance video leaving the Caesar Rodney School District school and getting into Seabury’s car. Investigators say Seabury then drove the teen to her apartment where the two had sex.
Police learned of the alleged assault on March 12 and began to investigate. That investigation revealed a series of “explicit phone message and photographs during the inappropriate relationship,” police said.
In police papers, investigators allege that Seabury likely went back to her apartment with the boy more than the one time for which she is charged.
Seabury was booked and released April 28 after her parents helped her post $40,000 secured bond. The Long Island, N.Y. native and University of Delaware graduate had no comment as NBC10 cameras exclusively captured her leaving custody and driving off in a sports utility vehicle.
School district superintendent Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald said Seabury was suspended without pay since the initial report surfaced.
"The district will take the appropriate personnel action as dictated by state and federal regulations," Fitzgerald said.