Holly MatkinWilmington, DE – A former Delaware middle school teacher has been arrested on 22 counts amid allegations she raped a student nearly a decade ago.
The investigation into 42-year-old Reed Messer began on Dec. 23, 2022, when the Delaware State Police (DSP) Troop 2 Criminal Investigations Unit was contacted by the Delaware Division of Family Services (DFS) regarding allegations that the former Stanton Middle School teacher had repeatedly raped a juvenile student about nine years earlier, the DSP said in a press release on May 9.
“Through further investigation it was determined that the teacher and student had an apparent sexual relationship that began in October 2014 and lasted for approximately two months,” state police said.
Investigators did not specify whether or not the multiple instances of alleged sexual contact occurred on the grounds of the school, which is located at 1800 Limestone Road.
Messer has not worked for the Red Clay Consolidated School District since November of 2014 and has since relocated to Greenville, South Carolina.
DSP obtained a warrant for her arrest on April 26 in connection with the allegations, and she was subsequently apprehended at her Greenville residence.
Messer was being held by the Department of Corrections in South Carolina until May 8, when she was extradited back to Delaware.
She was then booked into the Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution on two counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust, 10 counts of third-degree rape, and 10 counts of 4th degree rape.
A judge ordered she be held on a $310,000 cash bond.
“Due to the sensitivity of this case, and in consideration of the victim, only limited information will be released,” the DSP said.
The DSP Troop 2 Criminal Investigations Unit’s investigation remains ongoing.
The agency urged anyone with potential information about the case to contact their office immediately.
