Pennsylvania Teacher Allegedly Had Relationship with Teen Student at School for Behavioral Issues
A Pennsylvania teacher at a school for teens with emotional problems faces 70 criminal counts for allegedly engaging in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old female student for nine months, PEOPLE confirms.
According to court records, Nina Scott was arrested on Wednesday by Radnor police officers.
Scott is charged with 34 counts of institutional sexual assault of a minor and another 34 for corruption of minors. She also faces a pair of related charges: concealing the whereabouts of a child and interfering with the custody of a child.
Detectives began investigating claims that Scott was having an inappropriate relationship with one of her students last October, soon after the alleged victim left the school where Scott worked.
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According to court records obtained by PEOPLE, the student was transferred to a private juvenile detention center, where staffers allegedly discovered her journal and letters between the pair.
In one letter, Scott allegedly refers to the teen as her girlfriend and references “our bed.” The letters also mentioned “our baby girl,” which police say is a reference to Scott’s toddler.
The student allegedly called Scott her “future wife” and “the love of my life” in her journal entries.
Authorities allege that sexual encounters between the pair occurred on school property as well as in Scott’s car and at her residence.
Court records allege the relationship began a year ago and ended when the student was moved to a different facility. Scott and the student initially denied the allegations but eventually acknowledged there had been a relationship between them, the criminal complaint alleges.
Scott, hired by the school in late 2015, has since been fired. She is being held on $100,000 bail.
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Scott’s attorney, Evan J. Kelly, tells PEOPLE his client “is a very good person” who “loved being a teacher — it was a big part of her identity.”
Kelly adds, “I can’t get into the allegations, but we will analyze the circumstances and we are going to do whatever is in her best interest.”
Scott has a preliminary hearing scheduled for next Thursday.
