Hayley Close-Hallmark, a middle school teacher, was arrested for engaging in sexual contact with a student during a school dance competition in Osceola County. Close-Hallmark is already facing charges for grooming and sexual engaging with a 15-year-old student in Okaloosa county in Florida.
The former teacher has been charged for soliciting or engaging in lewd conduct with a student from a position of authority, lewd and lascivious battery against a child aged between 12-16 and sexual assault on a minor.
Who is Hayley Close-Hallmark?
A middle school teacher, Close-Hallmark taught history and coached the school's dance team at Ruckel Middle School, in Niceville, Florida. The middle school teacher was also named Escambia County Social Teacher of the Year in 2011.
The Daily Mail reported that the accused was earlier arrested in Okaloosa County in March for lewd and lascivious battery against a child aged between 12-16 and sexual assault on a minor. The authorities have now suspended Close-Hallmark from the teaching job without pay, pending the results of the case against her.
WEAR-TV reported that an arrest warrant was issued against Close-Hallmark by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office on April 2. She was finally arrested on April 13 and is being held without bond at the Okaloosa County Jail. Close-Hallmark's pre-trial conference is scheduled for June 14.
Close-Hallmark Groomed Her Victim By Sending Messages
Close-Hallmark's first shot into limelight after a 17-year-old victim confided about their sexual relationship to her teacher at Niceville High School in February. Further details of the relationship were disclosed by the victim during an interview at the Children's Advocacy Center.
The outlet reported that Close-Hallmark started grooming the victim by texting during the 2017-18 academic session. They soon started sexting each other. It was only when the student started attending the high school in August 2018, Close-Hallmark engaged in a sexual tryst with the victim.
According to Northwest Florida Daily News, the victim, who was in ninth grade at that time, helped Close-Hallmark coach the school's girls soccer team.
Over the next two years the duo had sex multiple times in Close-Hallmark's classroom and their homes. The relationship finally ended in August last year.
The victim also shared the sex messages and Snapchat exchanges between the victim and Close-Hallmark.
