Madison Bergmann, a 24-year-old educator working at an elementary school in Wisconsin, USA, has been apprehended and formally accused of committing first-degree social misconduct due to alleged engagement in intimate activities with one of her students, an 11-year-old fifth-grader.
Reports indicate that Bergmann is facing charges of sexual misconduct stemming from what authorities describe as an "inappropriate relationship" with the aforementioned student. The purported incidents involving the 11-year-old boy were brought to light less than three months prior to Bergmann's scheduled wedding, as disclosed by CBS News Minnesota.
The alleged misconduct surfaced when the student's mother overheard a conversation between her child and Bergmann over the phone and intervened by confiscating the device. Upon further investigation, the parents purportedly discovered text messages exchanged between their child and the teacher. Subsequently, they brought printouts of these conversations to the school's attention.
According to the formal accusations filed with law enforcement, the exchanged texts contained discussions supposedly detailing various encounters between Bergmann and the 11-year-old, purportedly occurring within the school premises during lunch breaks or after regular school hours. Bergmann is also accused of expressing her pleasure in the boy's physical contact with her.
The student reportedly informed investigators that he had frequent communication with Madison Bergmann, conversing with her "almost daily" and obtaining her contact number during a skiing trip to Afton Alps, where they were accompanied by his mother. Allegedly, Bergmann justified sharing her number with the student as a precautionary measure in case they got separated at the park.
It's noted that the skiing trip coincided with the period when Bergmann became engaged to her boyfriend.
During the investigation, a folder labeled with the boy's name was discovered inside Bergmann's backpack, containing numerous handwritten notes. The 11-year-old disclosed to authorities that he and Bergmann would exchange notes throughout the school day, with many of these notes mentioning instances of "kissing each other," as per court documents.
In one of the letters found, Madison Bergmann purportedly expressed uncertainty regarding the nature of her relationship with the fifth-grader, stating, "One of my cousins is in the 5th grade and I can't imagine a man talking to her how we talk. I know we have a special relationship and I do love you more than anyone in the world, but I have to be the adult here and stop."
Bergmann was scheduled to marry in July, less than three months before her arrest.
She was released on a $25,000 signature bond (approximately Rs 21 lakh) and placed on administrative leave. Additionally, she has been prohibited from accessing school property or attending school-related events, and from contacting any students, parents, or staff within the district, according to reports from the New York Post.
Expressing astonishment over the incident, the school principal conveyed a message of concern to parents, emphasizing the well-being of the River Crest School community and the affected children, as per CBS Minnesota.
Madison Bergmann's next court appearance is slated for May 30th.
