Female school caretaker charged with rape and 'sexual battery' of teenage boy

A female caretaker has been charged with raping a 16-year-old schoolboy. After reportedly harassing and pursuing the boy in person and via Facebook, 29-year-old Jessica Galyon allegedly led him into a classroom and took his virginity.

She was arrested in February by Tennessee police, and charged with sexual battery by an authority figure, aggravated statutory rape and statutory rape by an authority figure, according to The Knoxville News.

The Roane County Schools district and contractor which employed her now face paying out $4.5m (£3.4m) in damages.

The lawsuit brought by the boy's parents cites "unsolicited, unwanted and unwelcome" sexual advances dating back to August last year, when they first met at Midway High School.

After insisting he add her on Facebook and give her his phone number, Ms Galyon allegedly plied the teen with "flirtatious and sexual messages".

Though the boy asked her to stop, according to the lawsuit, in September Ms Galyon invited him to visit her in a hotel room so they could sleep together.

She then allegedly took him into a classroom and subjected him to what the lawsuit describes as "the first ever sexual encounter of any kind that [the boy] had ever had in his life."

Ms Galyon reportedly attempted to cover up the crime of which she stands accused, telling her unnamed accuser that she would lose her job, husband and children if he told anyone.

The boy then withdrew from school, began home schooling and took up counselling, with the lawsuit suggesting faculty members and classmates teased him about his relationship with Ms Galyon.

One male staff member reportedly told the boy he was "jealous" as "he wanted to have sex with Ms Galyon" himself.

The lawsuit accuses Roane County Schools and cleaning contractors Compass One of acting "intentionally, willfully, wantonly and/or with gross negligence in failing to recognize and/or stop the sexual misconduct of Galyon."