logo
Twisted former school teacher, 33, charged over ‘prolonged' relationship with 14-year-old boy after she ‘groomed him'

Twisted former school teacher, 33, charged over ‘prolonged' relationship with 14-year-old boy after she ‘groomed him'

The Sun3 days ago
A FORMER elementary school teacher has been charged with having a "prolonged" relationship with a 14-year-old boy.
Nicole Ballew Callaham, 33, has been accused of grooming the teenager for over two years.
3
3
The South Carolina native faces three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Callaham gave herself up to cops on Thursday, the Anderson County Sheriff's Office said.
It came after a thorough investigation into the ex-teacher which started back in May.
Detectives found the alleged misconduct began in 2021 and continued for at least two years afterwards.
Within that time frame, Callaham is believed to have signed the student out of school, transported him to practices and even served as a supervisor for after-school activities, the sheriff's office said.
Cops described these patterns as "grooming behavior".
The boy involved was in his early teens when the alleged relationship started.
He came forward to police shortly after his 18th birthday after he spent years "processing the experience and trauma", authorities said.
They added: "These repeated interactions led to a prolonged pattern of abuse, which was corroborated by search warrants and ongoing cooperation with the victim's family."
The Greenville City Police Department has brought similar charges against Callaham which are separate from those in Anderson County.
Major update on teacher, 34, who had BABY with boy, 13, & was exposed when 'his dad realised he looked like her child'
This is due to the boy attending school in Greenville during the alleged inappropriate conduct.
The charges include eight counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and four counts of unlawful conduct towards a child.
Court filings claim Callaham allegedly provided the teen with marijuana, nicotine and alcohol during the two years.
Callaham resigned from her job at Homeland Park Elementary School before the charges were officially filed.
She is also currently pregnant and has one child at home.
She appeared in bond court this week where a detective read a letter written by the teen's mother.
The angered mom claimed: "She saw our son's innocence and that he was very easily manipulated."
Callaham's defense attorney said his client has cooperated with law enforcement and they "look forward to a day in court".
The judge set her bond at $40,000 and ordered her not to have contact with Strickland's family.
It follows a teacher who is accused of raping her 15-year-old student 50 times moaning that she is being targeted because of her good looks.
Christina Formella, 30, claimed she is the victim of misogynistic "sexist scrutiny" and complained about being depicted as a "predator".
3
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

EXCLUSIVE Constance Marten's 'life was ruined' by joining a Nigerian religious cult that beat women with horsewhips and whose leader required followers to call him daddy
EXCLUSIVE Constance Marten's 'life was ruined' by joining a Nigerian religious cult that beat women with horsewhips and whose leader required followers to call him daddy

Daily Mail​

time26 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

EXCLUSIVE Constance Marten's 'life was ruined' by joining a Nigerian religious cult that beat women with horsewhips and whose leader required followers to call him daddy

Following Constance Marten and Mark Gordon's convictions for the gross negligence manslaughter of their baby daughter Victoria, the Mail has released exclusive podcasts revealing never-before-heard details about the couple. This second episode follows Constance's life story, from her multimillionaire father leaving the family to live in a truck in Australia to her induction into a religious cult based in Lagos, Nigeria. The cult was called SCOAN (The Synagogue Church of All Nations) and its leader, TB Joshua, targeted the UK for new, wealthy recruits by infiltrating Evangelical churches in the south of England. Through her connections to one of these churches, Constance's mother, Virginia, was persuaded to travel to Nigeria with her daughter to the sect's compound in 2006. Virginia believed TB Joshua, who styled himself in internet videos as a miracle healer, could rid her daughter of her 'rebellious spirits'. Speaking to Trial Plus hosts Caroline Cheetham and Jack Hardy, author Matthew McNaught, who wrote a book about the cult and its abuse of British recruits, described how SCOAN operated and how Marten became affiliated with it. 'I became interested in SCOAN because I grew up in an Evangelical Church in Winchester called Emmanuel', McNaught told the podcast. 'Some church members came across this ministry in Nigeria – there were videos being sent around for publicity. They were incredibly graphic, very dramatic videos showing seemingly incredible things. 'I was very sceptical of TB Joshua from the start – the videos were so extreme and gross. You would see sores and bare breasts, gore and nudity that was incredibly hard to watch. 'As soon as people started becoming disciples – their personalities began to change. They withdrew from old friendships and people within my church started to become suspicious. 'Constance was in Lagos for six months. She got in contact with me in 2013 after I wrote a blog detailing TB Joshua's abuse. Her experience was the same as many others I had spoken too. 'She had gone out there a passionate, young Christian and had been pulled into this horrible community and dynamic. 'I believe she left because she had offended TB Joshua in some way, she was essentially kicked out. 'She told me she struggled for a long time afterwards and that she was keen to reconnect with those who had a similar experience. 'In my conversations with her, she came across really well… she wanted to help people to break through the isolation people suffered after being SCOAN. It feels sad to see that her life has taken this turn.' On Monday, Marten and her lover Mark Gordon were convicted of killing their daughter, Victoria, after going on the run to stop her being taken into care. They will be sentenced for gross negligence manslaughter on September 15. Bisola Johnson, who was close to the cult's leader and interacted with Constance Marten during the socialite's time in Nigeria, described some of the worst abuses of the organisation. Bisola described herself as TB Joshua's 'right-hand woman' who feels deep regret for her role in his regime of terror. She said: 'I worked as a video editor for SCOAN for many years. I was only there for about a week before TB Joshua invited me to his room and introduced sex to me. 'Most young girls there would visit his bedroom. People were called out of the dormitory at midnight to sleep with him or massage him as he lay there naked. 'There was verbal and emotional abuse. We would be beaten with horse whips if we didn't do something right. It was like a concentration camp. 'If you argued, you'd be ostracised – you'd not be given food, no one wanted to talk to you. It was mental torture. 'Constance got in contact with me in 2013, she said something had happened to her in SCOAN. Everybody had depression after leaving the group. You couldn't believe you'd accepted such mental torture. 'I wanted to help her, but I couldn't because she threatened to return with a body camera. I was afraid for her… she said she'd contact Al Jazeera. Before she even called them, I knew her body would disappear, and I didn't want to be involved in that.' From his investigation into Marten's time in SCOAN, co-host Jack Hardy provided insight into the psychological damage the experience had on her. 'It's clear it completely shattered her', Hardy said. 'One friend who spoke to us told us she always used to be wild, but also happy, kind and buoyant. 'When she came back, she was darker – she found things more difficult. Another friend we spoke to put things more bluntly, TB Joshua ruined her life.' To listen to the bombshell episode in full, subscribe to The Crime Desk, the home of arresting podcasts from The Daily Mail.

Rep. Lauren Boebert wants Matt Gaetz to lead special counsel investigation into Epstein files
Rep. Lauren Boebert wants Matt Gaetz to lead special counsel investigation into Epstein files

The Independent

time26 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Rep. Lauren Boebert wants Matt Gaetz to lead special counsel investigation into Epstein files

Rep. Lauren Boebert wants failed Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz to lead a special counsel investigation into the Epstein files. The Colorado Republican suggested that the disgraced former congressman was an appropriate figure to deliver the 'truth' surrounding Jeffrey Epstein's death, including his 'client list,' which MAGA has been up and arms about after the Department of Justice and FBI said they found no credible evidence it exists. Epstein died by suicide in his prison cell on August 10, 2019 and has long been the subject of conspiracy theories that he kept a secret list of famous and powerful people to whom he trafficked underage girls for sex. MAGA is deeply unhappy over the Trump administration's handling of the case. 'There has to be a special investigation into this if we aren't going to be provided information,' Boebert said Tuesday on The Benny Show. 'I want answers and maybe that takes that special counsel to do so. Maybe Matt Gaetz can lead the special counsel.' Gaetz, 43, was President Donald Trump's first pick for attorney general but his nomination was derailed over allegations that he paid for sex, including with a 17-year-old girl. Gaetz, who denies any wrongdoing, withdrew from the nomination in mid-November after the uproar, but a bombshell House Ethics Committee report published in December detailed his alleged sexual misconduct and illicit drug use while he was in Congress. The committee determined there was 'substantial evidence' that Gaetz violated House rules 'and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.' After appearing on the podcast, Boebert asked Gaetz directly if he would consider her suggestion. 'We deserve the truth about the Epstein Files. I'm ready for a Special Counsel to handle this,' Boebert wrote in a post on X. '@MattGaetz, how about it?' Gaetz, who often backs his replacement Attorney General Pam Bondi on his News Max show, didn't publicly respond to Boebert's post. Boebert also told MAGA host Benny Johnson that she is 'absolutely' in favor of getting Epstein's madam, Ghislaine Maxwell, to testify. 'Of course we want answers. No one is satisfied with what has been received or lack thereof. No one is satisfied with the rollout of this,' she said. MAGA outrage over the Epstein files has rumbled on for more than a week, despite the White House's attempts to put a lid on it. Last week the Justice Department and FBI issued a memo that there was no client list and no additional files relating to the case would be made public. The agencies had determined that no 'further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted,' much was sealed by a court to protect Epstein's victims, and 'only a fraction of it 'would have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial.' Additionally, the memo said that no further charges were expected as investigators 'did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.' Trump, who pledged to release the Epstein files during his campaign, said the case was 'boring' in remarks to reporters Tuesday. 'I don't understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody,' Trump said. 'It's pretty boring stuff. I think really only pretty bad people, including fake news, want to keep something like that going.' Democrats have also seized upon the upset and attempted to force a vote Tuesday in the House to release the files but it was blocked by Republicans.

Florida store clerk fights back against robber trying to kidnap her
Florida store clerk fights back against robber trying to kidnap her

The Independent

time26 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Florida store clerk fights back against robber trying to kidnap her

A Florida store clerk fought back after a suspect tried to kidnap her from inside her workplace, video from 29 June shows. Deputies were dispatched to a business in St. Augustine after a 911 caller alerted them to a male subject attempting to force a woman into a vehicle outside in the parking lot. Deputies learned the male suspect committed a robbery inside the business, then forcefully removed a female employee from the store, and dragged her outside, where he began to push her into his vehicle. The victim fought back and flagged down a bystander who came to her aid and called police as the suspect abandoned his kidnapping attempt and fled. The defendant was subsequently captured. Theodore Michael Tundidor, 31, was charged with kidnapping, robbery, and grand theft auto, with additional charges for driving under the influence and fleeing and eluding law enforcement.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store