This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
A schoolteacher in Washington state has been arrested after he allegedly groomed a teenage student and intimidated her to the point where she considered dying by suicide.
Police say that Jesse Webb, a 44-year-old chemistry teacher at Kentlake High School in Kent, Washington, has been charged with communication with a minor for immoral purposes as a result of an inappropriate physical relationship with one of his 15-year-old students, Fox 13 Seattle reported.
Court documents allege that the interactions took place between October 1, 2022, and December 15, 2022, and that Webb started off by messaging the student on Instagram, telling her that he missed her and that she looked "hot" wearing certain outfits.
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The communication then progressed to Webb calling the now-16-year-old student "babe" and "cupcake."
Webb then told the student that he wanted to have sex with her, according to court documents, and the victim said that he would kiss her on the neck and hug her behind the school and tell her that he loved her.
Court documents accused Webb of "grooming" the teen and giving her gifts.
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In November 2022, prosecutors say the student was so distraught about the relationship that she called the King County Crisis Line and said she was having suicidal thoughts. She disclosed to the dispatcher that she was being groomed by her teacher and that the stress had become too much.
The student said that Webb told her to deny any knowledge of the relationship if she were asked, and instructed her to tell investigators she was high on LSD and hallucinating when she called the crisis hotline.
Webb has reportedly resigned from the school district, but Fox 13 Seattle reported that he will be receiving pay through August 18, 2023.
Webb pleaded not guilty in court on May 18 and has been ordered to have no contact with the victim and all minors.
Kentlake High School did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
