Thursday, January 08, 2004
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. ? A music teacher carried on a 19-month sexual relationship with a boy she seduced when he was 11 years old, authorities said.
Carol Flannigan, a 49-year old teacher at Rolling Green Elementary (search) in Boynton Beach, was arrested on six charges, including two counts of capital sexual battery on a child under 12.
Flannigan had developed a close relationship with the boy and his family after he took her music class, inviting him and two younger brothers to sleepovers at her Boca Raton (search) home.
The boy's mother became suspicious when she found sexually suggestive text messages on his cell phone, investigators said.
The Department of Children & Families had investigated Flannigan in 2002, after her husband of nearly 19 years told a marriage counselor she told him about feelings she had when she kissed a 12-year-old, according to a Boca Raton police report.
DCF and police concluded there was no indication of sexual abuse or inappropriate touching and closed the case after the 12-year-old boy told an investigator "that he has 'tap kissed' Flannigan on the lips but that he did not feel uncomfortable," according to the report.
Law enforcement officials were unable to confirm whether the boy in the DCF probe was the same as the one at the focus of Wednesday's arrest.
Douglas DePue filed for divorce in February 2003, but said the divorce was unrelated to the alleged relationship with the boy.
The mother of the boy, now 13, asked Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office to investigate after finding the text messages Tuesday.
After speaking to the boy, investigators listened in on a phone call with Flannigan in which she told the boy to continue lying about their relationship and tell everyone they had simply kissed, according to an arrest report.
"I don't know why I love you so much," Flannigan said during the conversation, asking whether she had hurt him. The boy answered, "Physically no, but mentally yes," according to the report.
Flannigan continued to apologize and offered to give him $1,000, investigators said.
Flannigan, who has a 16-year-old son, would likely will be placed on paid leave pending the outcome of the criminal investigation, said school district spokesman Nat Harrington.
"We can't take any punitive administrative steps until the case runs its course," Harrington said.
Flannigan was being held Wednesday night in Palm Beach County jail. It could not immediately be determined whether she had an attorney.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. ? A music teacher carried on a 19-month sexual relationship with a boy she seduced when he was 11 years old, authorities said.
Carol Flannigan, a 49-year old teacher at Rolling Green Elementary (search) in Boynton Beach, was arrested on six charges, including two counts of capital sexual battery on a child under 12.
Flannigan had developed a close relationship with the boy and his family after he took her music class, inviting him and two younger brothers to sleepovers at her Boca Raton (search) home.
The boy's mother became suspicious when she found sexually suggestive text messages on his cell phone, investigators said.
The Department of Children & Families had investigated Flannigan in 2002, after her husband of nearly 19 years told a marriage counselor she told him about feelings she had when she kissed a 12-year-old, according to a Boca Raton police report.
DCF and police concluded there was no indication of sexual abuse or inappropriate touching and closed the case after the 12-year-old boy told an investigator "that he has 'tap kissed' Flannigan on the lips but that he did not feel uncomfortable," according to the report.
Law enforcement officials were unable to confirm whether the boy in the DCF probe was the same as the one at the focus of Wednesday's arrest.
Douglas DePue filed for divorce in February 2003, but said the divorce was unrelated to the alleged relationship with the boy.
The mother of the boy, now 13, asked Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office to investigate after finding the text messages Tuesday.
After speaking to the boy, investigators listened in on a phone call with Flannigan in which she told the boy to continue lying about their relationship and tell everyone they had simply kissed, according to an arrest report.
"I don't know why I love you so much," Flannigan said during the conversation, asking whether she had hurt him. The boy answered, "Physically no, but mentally yes," according to the report.
Flannigan continued to apologize and offered to give him $1,000, investigators said.
Flannigan, who has a 16-year-old son, would likely will be placed on paid leave pending the outcome of the criminal investigation, said school district spokesman Nat Harrington.
"We can't take any punitive administrative steps until the case runs its course," Harrington said.
Flannigan was being held Wednesday night in Palm Beach County jail. It could not immediately be determined whether she had an attorney.
