A fourth-grade teacher in Tennesseewho’s accused of raping one of her former studentsis pregnant with an alleged victim’s child, according to a tape recording of a phone call that prosecutors played in court Tuesday.
The mother of two was released on a $25,000 bond provided she refrain from having any contact with the alleged victim or any other minors besides her own children. She pleaded not guilty.
On Sept. 28, she was rearrested after allegedly stalking and harassing an alleged victim, said police, who claim she told the boy via text that he would “regret” going to authorities.
During the hearing, Detective Tony Doss testified that McCommon reached out to the alleged victim via text on Sept. 26, two days before she was rearrested,The Covington Leaderreports.
McCommon allegedly told the alleged victim in a text, “I have to tell you something that is serious and huge that deals with you,” prosecutors claim,Fox13 Memphisreports.
Covington Police Department/ Facebook
“This was a mistake, this is my burden,” she wrote in another text, prosecutors claim, according to the outlet. “OMG delete this number, please don’t get me in trouble.”
The alleged victim and his mother reported the exchange to police, who then arranged for the phone conversation between the alleged victim and McCommon to be recorded, the detective said in court, Fox 13 Memphis reports.
“What do you mean last year?” McCommon allegedly said to the alleged victim in a portion of the call prosecutors played in court,The Leaderreports. “You know good [and] well you were with me in August,”The Leaderreports.
“I will never text you again,” McCommon also allegedly said during the phone call, prosecutors claim, Action 5 News reports. “You will never hear from me again. Just please don’t say anything. I’m under so much stress and I’m so scared all the time."
Prosecutors also claim she said to the alleged victim, “I tried to tell you. When it comes out looking like you, we don’t have to talk anymore. Just please God, tell me you’re not going to say anything. I’ll never speak to you again.”
The judge then revoked McCommon’s bond, the outlet reports.
“We were pleased with the judge’s decision,” Tipton County District Attorney Mark Davidson said, Action 5 News reports. “It sends the message that victims and their families should be protected and ongoing criminal conduct won’t be tolerated.”
The text messages the detective detailed, Mason wrote, were “between a person from an unregistered number and an alleged victim.
“The State then presented a recording of a conversation between a voice they allege is Mrs. McCommon and the allege victim. This evidence was to show that Mrs. McCommon violated her bond conditions in that she was not to contact any alleged victims.”
Mason said that police have not been able to locate the unregistered phone from which the texts and call were made. “The only proof presented that the voice on the call was Mrs. McCommon’s was the Detective’s claim that it sounded the same as when he heard Mrs. McCommon speak once around 5 or so weeks ago. This is very limited proof as to who the speaker actually was.”
Mason said in the statement that he made a motion on the record requesting a mental evaluation for McCommon and a continuance on the hearing pending the results of that evaluation.
The judge granted the request for the mental evaluation but denied the request for the hearing to be continued, Mason wrote.
“Clearly, these new allegations coupled with the existing charge are very serious,” Mason wrote. “We ask that the public be patient as we all seek justice in this case.”
Alissa McCommon.Covington Police Department Facebook
Covington Police Department Facebook
On Sept. 28, two days after the alleged call, police arrested the former teacher at Charger Academy at her house and charged her with aggravated stalking, harassment and coercion of a witness, police said in a statement.
Two days earlier, the CPD Criminal Investigation Division received information that McCommon allegedly used a previously unknown phone number and initiated additional contact with an alleged victim, police said in the statement.
“The evidence indicates McCommon texted a victim, using a specific code word known to the juvenile as a code word McCommon would previously utilize to confirm that the juvenile was alone, often before sending nude photographs on SnapChat,” police said in the statement.
“After using the code word September 28, the evidence indicates McCommon sent multiple text messages to victim indicating he would ‘regret doing this,’” police alleged in the statement.
McCommon, using the same number, also allegedly admitted to a sexual encounter with the minor, police said in the statement.
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On August 24, McCommon, who taught English Language Arts and Social Studies at Charger Academy, was suspended from her position when a parent came forward with the allegations, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rebekah Byrd said in a statement.
Covington police detectives began investigating when they received information on Aug. 24 from the Tennessee Department of Children Services about a report of allegations of sexual misconduct involving a teacher and a former student, police said in a previous statement.
McCommon is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 27 for a preliminary hearing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Covington Police Department CID at 901-475-1261.
Tips can also be sent through theCovington Police Department Facebook messengeror theCity of Covington website.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
source: people.com
