Teacher 'molested boy in car, sent nudes and feared she wouldn’t take virginity'

05 January 2024 , 16:34

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Teacher Tatum Hatch was arrested on suspicion of computer-aided solicitation of a minor (Image: West Monroe PD)

A teacher who allegedly molested a child in a car while her infant was present, sent lewd pictures of herself and told him she wanted to take his virginity has been arrested.

The woman from Louisiana is alleged to have come to her victim's home and took him into her car, where she's accused of touching his genitals with her infant child present.

Tatum Hatch, 32, was arrested on Wednesday after she and the teen exchanged indecent messages for about a year and a half in which she suggested he come through her bedroom window to have sex with her, court documents allege.

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The teacher used to work at West Monroe High School (Facebook)

But the alleged relationship was exposed when the ex-teacher from West Monroe High School was arrested following an investigation that began on December 15 when deputies with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office were tipped off about an inappropriate student-teacher relationship. Authorities then contacted the 15-year-old male student's father, who confronted his son.

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According to Mail Online, the boy then showed detectives messages on Instagram between him and the teacher. Court papers say the educator also allegedly told the teen another time she was scared he’d find someone else to be his "first" after the boy told her he was scared.

The victim also claimed Hatch sent nude selfies, but the pictures disappeared because she used vanish mode on Instagram. However, a nude photo was recovered after a forensic download was completed, court documents said.

Tatum Hatch has now resigned from her teaching post (Facebook)

Hatch allegedly admitted to law enforcement in mid-December she spoke to the boy through Instagram, but didn’t answer some questions because she was afraid she’d lose her children. Hatch is facing a charge of computer-aided solicitation of a minor. The son allegedly told his father that his relationship with Hatch had been carrying on for a year and a half.

Deputies met with the 15-year-old victim and monitored his cell phone, finding an Instagram message thread that they screen recorded. In the thread, Hatch told the child that she wanted them to have sex, telling him to come through her bedroom window. She is also accused of sending naked selfies to the victim.

Police continued to find conversations between the victim and Hatch over the span of several months. It was after obtaining a search warrant for the Instagram messages, authorities located a nude photo of the teacher. One of their conversations even took place at a school function after her dismissal, where Hatch allegedly tried to get the boy to sit with her.

Police took Hatch in for questioning on December 16, one day after they were tipped off to her alleged behaviour. She refused to answer several questions about what she sent to her alleged victim, fearing she would lose her children. Authorities later found out that Hatch allegedly gave the victim between £390-470 ($500 and $600) after she became afraid of a rumour she heard about the boy. The local school board confirmed Hatch resigned on December 26. She has been released after posting a £7,800 ($10,000) bond.

Paul Donald