NEED TO KNOW
- New Jersey teacher Lorri Willis is accused of sending sexual messages to a 13-year-old student
- Willis is charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of luring
- Authorities alleged that the messages were sent over the course of more than a year
A New Jersey teacher was arrested after she was accused of sending sexual text messages to her 13-year-old former student.
Lorri A. Willis, 45, a teacher at Black River Middle School in Chester Township, N.J., is charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of luring, according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
Willis has been suspended from her teaching duties, prosecutors said.
It is not immediately clear if Willis has entered a plea or retained an attorney.
According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by PEOPLE, police alleged that Willis engaged in sexual conversations via text messages and Snapchat from June 2024 to October 2025.
Chester police spoke to the alleged victim who said, per the affidavit, that Willis had sent a picture of her breasts while wearing a bra. She also allegedly gave the student gifts, including a ring, authorities claimed.
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According to the Chester School District’s website, Willis is a teacher in the science department.
“The District was recently notified by law enforcement that a Black River Middle School staff member has been arrested,” Superintendent William Kochis said in a letter to families in the district. “We take allegations of inappropriate conduct by a staff member very seriously. At this time, there is no indication that there is any current risk or threat to the District.”
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
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