Wisconsin Health Teacher Allegedly Sexually Abused 15-Year-Old Boy for Months
A 23-year-old high school health teacher in Wisconsin is accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy for months.
In August, Talia Jo Warner was charged with second-degree sexual assault of a child, use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, child enticement, causing a child older than 13 to view sexual activity, two counts of exposing genitals, pubic area or intimate parts to a child and exposing a child to harmful material, according to online court records obtained by PEOPLE.
Warner was released from jail after posting the $10,000 bond imposed by a judge.
The charges come nearly nine months after officials at Somerset High School first learned of the allegations, according to RiverTown Multimedia.
Warner was replaced as the school’s health teacher after resigning back in February.
Citing the criminal complaint filed in court, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports the alleged abuse began between Warner and a 15-year-old sophomore in October 2018.
For roughly three months, Warner and the victim kept in contact, and allegedly had two sexual encounters outside of the high school.
One, the paper claims, occurred in Warner’s car, while it was parked down the street from her home in White Bear Lake, Minn. The other reportedly happened in the house.
The complaint alleges that Warner sent the student 10 inappropriate, sexually explicit pictures and videos, the paper reports.
Investigators reviewed Snapchat records, unearthing months of exchanges between the two that allegedly included “sexual talk and behavior.”
In January, students alerted a teacher who brought the allegations to district officials.
“Based on the information received, Somerset School District officials believed the information was false and investigated the incident before law enforcement was contacted,” the complaint states, according to the paper. “Several persons were interviewed prior to law enforcement including Warner and several others that brought this information forward.”
Police interviewed the student four times. At first, he denied anything inappropriate occurred.
Warner had not entered pleas to the charges.
• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.
Online court records indicate a preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 30.
RiverTown Multimedia obtained a statement from the school district, saying, “When the District first learned of the potential allegations, Ms. Warner was removed from the classroom and the District undertook a full investigation and has cooperated with law enforcement through this process. District staff appreciate the support of the community during this difficult time, and also want to thank the community for respecting the privacy of the alleged victim.”
PEOPLE reached Warner’s attorney, Chris Gramstrup, by phone Tuesday but he would not comment on the case.
