Port Charlotte teacher felt 'desired' by student she engaged in sexual activity with, report says

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. —

New details have emerged surrounding the case of Heather Mashburn-Smith, a Port Charlotte High School teacher accused of having sex with her student in her classroom.

According to an affidavit from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, deputies were first called to Port Charlotte High School when the school's principal, James Vernon, told them that he had received an allegation of a possible relationship between a staff member and a student through the ParentSquare app.

The victim told deputies that for about four or five weeks, he had been in an inappropriate relationship with Mashburn-Smith, 37. He said that they began talking in a Snapchat group chat. He later sent a message saying that she was pretty, and she later sent a message to just him asking what he meant when he called her pretty.

Washburn-Smith reportedly invited the victim to her classroom so they could talk about the messages, a conversation that later became flirtatious, the victim said in the affidavit. He added that he would often go to her classroom to talk.

On one of these classroom visits, the victim said he and Mashburn-Smith kissed. She reportedly told him that he could not tell anyone what was going on between them because she could get in trouble.

The victim said that he and Mashburn-Smith had sex on two occasions in her classroom. Afterwards, the victim told deputies that Mashburn-Smith told him she was not in a good marriage and that she wanted to leave her husband for him once he turned 18. After this, the victim reportedly blocked Mashburn-Smith; however, she continued to contact him on Snapchat, the affidavit said.

When deputies spoke with Mashburn-Smith about the allegations, she reportedly said she had "made a mistake."

The affidavit says Mashburn-Smith told deputies she had gotten too close with one of her students. She said that they were in a relationship and that it had ended. She reportedly called it an "emotional relationship."

Mashburn-Smith reportedly told deputies that she knew the victim was "just a teenager," but that he made her feel special and desired.

Mashburn-Smith reportedly said that she felt remorseful about the sex because she is married.

Mashburn-Smith was arrested on Wednesday and is facing charges of unlawful sexual activity with certain minors.

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