Two high school students from Louisiana have been accused of creating false “inappropriate messages” that they alleged were sent to them by a teacher, in an attempt to falsely portray him as a sexual predator. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation on December 18, following claims by two female students at Central Lafourche High School in Mathews, located approximately 45 miles southwest of New Orleans. The students alleged that an unidentified male teacher had sent them explicit messages.
However, after a fortnight of investigation, it was revealed that the students, aged 15 and 16, had fabricated the conversations on an online instant messaging platform. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the girls’ electronic devices and found no evidence of any messages sent by the teacher. Instead, they discovered that the students had created an online profile for the teacher, making it appear as if he was engaging in inappropriate conversations with them.
The students had shared screenshots of these fabricated conversations with their friends, in an attempt to lend credibility to their false claims. The investigation concluded that the teacher, far from being a predator as the girls had claimed, was in fact the victim of a serious false accusation.
When presented with the evidence, one of the students reportedly confessed to her involvement in the scheme to frame the teacher. Sheriff Craig Webre praised the diligence of the juvenile detectives and emphasized the seriousness of false claims. He noted that a person’s life can be instantly ruined by a false allegation and expressed pride in the investigators’ ability to uncover the truth.
The students, whose identities have not been disclosed due to their age, were charged with one count each of false swearing for the purpose of violating public health or safety, cyberstalking, and online impersonation. Sheriff Webre pointed out that while technology has made it easier for people to manipulate the truth, it also aids investigators in uncovering the truth.
Jarod Martin, the superintendent of Lafourche Parish School District, expressed shock and dismay upon learning that one of his teachers had been falsely accused and nearly lost his livelihood due to the serious, yet fabricated, allegations. He condemned the students’ alleged attempt to tarnish the teacher’s credibility and reputation.