Fort Myers teacher fired for admitting to sexual misconduct with student

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A female high school teacher arrested for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a male student will make her first court appearance this afternoon.

Suzanne Owen, 35, a teacher at Evangelical Christian School was terminated and arrested Thursday afternoon, Lee County Sheriffs office said.

Earlier in the day, deputies arrived to the school meet with the suspect and conduct an investigation.

The investigation revealed that Owen, 35, had one sexual encounter with the male student one week prior, where the two decided to meet off-campus, deputies said.

Deputies also discovered the teacher had been communicating with the student through personal text messages several weeks prior to the incident.

Owen has been charged with custodial sexual battery, and booked into the Lee County Jail.

Owens will make a first court appearance Thursday afternoon.

In a statement sent out to parents, headmaster John Hunte says the school was not aware of the incident between the teacher and student until late today, and that the school will continue to cooperate with law enforcement during the investigation.

Read his full statement below:

Dear ECS Family,

Late this afternoon, a female Upper School teacher admitted to sexual misconduct with a student. The teacher has been terminated effective immediately.

We are deeply saddened and express our sincere sympathy to any and all victims of sexual assault. We have and will continue to cooperate with law enforcement during this investigation. ECS was not aware of the report of the incident until late today. I wanted you to be aware of this as I anticipate it to be reported by the news media.

Please be in prayer for all of the families involved.

John Hunte, Ed.D.
Headmaster

WINK News reporter Jessica Alpern was live at the school Thursday morning. Watch the segment below.

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