Text messages reveal relationship between Geraldine Alcorn and student at Pittsburgh Beechwood Pre K-5 in Beechview, police say
More than 2,400 text messages were sent between an 11-year-old girl and one of her teachers, who expressed a "deep love" for each other and talked at times about the woman adopting the child and taking the girl away from home and being "on the run" for a while, Pittsburgh police said in a criminal complaint Tuesday.
VIDEO: Watch Ashlie Hardway's report and the suspect's arrest
Geraldine Alcorn, 28, resigned from the Pittsburgh Beechwood Pre K-5 school earlier this month and was arrested at her Bloomfield home Tuesday evening. She posted $100,000 bond Wednesday and will be released to await a hearing on a felony charge of criminal attempt-interference with custody of children, and misdemeanor charges of luring a child into motor vehicle and corruption of minors, according to an online docket.
Alcorn declined to comment to Pittsburgh's Action News 4 at her home shortly before police arrived and took her into custody.
The girl and Alcorn had kept their relationship a secret and met at the child's home without permission from the girl's mother, according to the complaint.
"Alcorn was caught in the house of the 11-year-old female while (the girl's mother) was at work. (The mother) had not given Alcorn permission to be alone in her house with her daughter," the complaint said. "After this came to light, (the mother) found 21 post-it stickers and several letters in the back of the 11-year-old female's binder. The stickers and two thank you cards had messages written to the 11-year-old female by Alcorn. There were two letters written by the 11-year-old female, addressed to Alcorn. The headings of the letters were "Things Ms. Alcorn and I can do" and "what we can do" and "when we can do it."
In an email Tuesday, Pittsburgh Public Schools spokeswoman Ebony Pugh said, "On February 13, school staff were made aware of concerns that the teacher had developed an improper attachment with a Beechwood student. In keeping with school district procedures, the teacher was immediately placed on suspension, pending an investigation of the claim. While on suspension, the teacher resigned March 2."
Police say Alcorn was ordered not to have contact with the child, but still tried another method of communicating with the girl, even after resigning from Beechwood.
"On 3/13/2015, after Alcorn had resigned, she went to the school to collect her belongings. On 3/16/2015, the 11-year-old female discovered gifts and several letters, some encrypted, in her locker and desk. The letters, written by Alcom, instructed the 11-year-old female to contact her. Alcorn supplied the 11-year-old female with her telephone number that was encrypted on a math worksheet where the 11-year-old female was instructed to follow the numbers circled."
