Teacher Accused of Sex with Male Student

(Columbia, Maryland) A 27-year-old former special education teacher at Hammond Middle School, Kirsten Ann Kinley, has been arrested for engaging in sex with a 15-year-old boy.

Kinley allegedly emailed explicit photos of herself to the boy and had sex with him on two occasions in December 2004 and January 2005. After the victim exposed the relationship to a therapist, police were alerted.

Kinley turned herself in Thursday evening, police said. She was charged with two counts of third-degree sex offense, two counts of fourth-degree sex offense and two counts of solicitation of a minor, and was released on $75,000 bond. Third-degree sex offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, while fourth-degree sex offense is a misdemeanor, with a maximum one-year sentence.

Kinley was placed on administrative leave, with pay, on Tuesday after school officials became aware of the allegations against her, said Patti Caplan, a school system spokeswoman.

Kinley was transferred from Hammond Middle School to Marriotts Ridge High School in 2005.

Notably, two other Howard County teachers, both male, were recently implicated in unrelated sexual abuse scandals. In response, Howard County school officials have decided to upgrade their teacher orientation program to include explicit warnings about inappropriate teacher-student relationships.


[Update 06/03/07]

Kinley indicted on new sex charges.


[Update 08/28/07]

Kinely pleads guilty. Sentencing in November.


[Update 11/15/07]

Kinley sentenced to prison.