Student Saw His Teacher Crying in Her Classroom. Soon After, They Started Having Sex: Affidavit

A Florida middle school teacher is accused of having a sexual relationship with a student at her school.

Officers with the Panama City Police Department arrested Erika Mattson, 36, on April 10 and charged her with a single count of authority figure engaging in sexual conduct with a student, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.

The affidavit says that the student told officers that he and Mattson embarked on a “sexual and romantic relationship” starting in May 2023.

“The victim stated that the relationship began after he saw [Mattson] crying in her classroom and approached her,” the affidavit reads.

Mattson had been the student’s middle school teacher at Kaleidoscope School of Discovery years prior but at the time of the relationship the student was 18 and attending the high school, which was housed in the same building as the middle school, according to the affidavit.

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The student told police that he and Mattson began to message each other and started “flirting,” which eventually resulted in the pair deciding to go on a date.

In his interview with police, the student said that he and Mattson went to a local movie theater but “never made it inside,” and instead “talked and made out.”

A few days later, the student went to Mattson’s home and the two engaged in sexual intercourse, according to the affidavit.

“The victim could not advise exactly how many times the two engaged in sexual activity while he was still enrolled in school but advised it happened numerous times before he graduated,” the affidavit says.

In addition, the student provided police with pictures of himself with Mattson, including “shirtless photos of the victim with [Mattson] embracing him” as well as “kissing,” according to the affidavit.

Mattson was booked into the Bay City Jail on Thursday and then released after posting $25,000 bond. She is now due back in court on May 15 to be arraigned in the case.

She is choosing to represent herself in the case, according to court records. Mattson did not respond to a request for comment.