Teacher Christy Lynn Martin Arrested for Sending Nude Photos to Minor Child

Christy Lynn Martin was arrested by St. Petersburg, Florida police the evening of March 7 on felony charges of "Transmission of Pornography Electronic Device" and "Transmission of Material Harmful to Minor", according to a Pinella's County Sheriff's Department report. Christy Lynn Martin allegedly traded naked photographs of herself with a 14-year-old boy over their cell phones. Ms. Martin was released on bond in the wee morning hours of March 8. She is 32 years old. She is identified as having two tattoos, one on the back of each shoulder and resides in St. Petersburg.

There is no mention of a court date or whether or not Ms. Martin has retained an attorney at this time. According to the Azalea Middle School website, where Christy Lynn Martin taught, she was part of the Arts department and taught "Life Choices" and "Computer Business Applications". There is no evidence as of yet that the boy in question was a current student of Ms. Martin's, or how they came to meet or make exchanges via cell phone. It is also undetermined as to whether or not Ms. Martin had a physical relationship with the boy, although at this time it can be assumed there is no evidence of such since those charges were not made against her.

Azalea Middle School is in St. Petersburg, Florida. There is no mention on the school website of a suspension or dismissal of Christy Lynn Martin at the time of this writing. The Azalea Middle School homepage states that their vision as "We see our students prepared for the transition to high school by promoting highest student achievement, character development, and technological proficiency in a safe learning environment." It seems likely that Ms. Martin will be prevented from student contact in order to maintain the "safe learning environment".

Christy Lynn Martin's case is sure to garner much media attention, as cases involving female teachers, sex, and minor male children often do. Fortunately, it is an uncommon occurrence and most school districts in the US conduct extensive background checks on potential employees to ensure no pedophiles or people with a history of inappropriateness towards children are employed there. Parents should always be observant of the people who come in contact with their children to watch for signs of an inappropriate relationship and talk with their child to see if they have any concerns about how a teacher or caregiver acts around them.

Sources:
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Website, http://www.pcsoweb.com/InmateBooking/SubjectResults.aspx?id=1344545
Azalea Middle School Website, http://it.pinellas.k12.fl.us/schools/azalea-ms/index.html