Deputies: Florida teacher let missing teen stay at her home and didn’t tell anyone

Florida teacher accused of allowing missing teen to stay at her home and didn't tell anybody about it (Courtesy: Charlotte County Sheriff's office)

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – A Florida teacher has been arrested after deputies said she let a missing teenager, who was also a student at her school, illegally stay at her home.

Last week, deputies responded to a scene in Port Charlotte, where a teen had reportedly run off after stealing $100.

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Charlotte County Sheriff’s deputies began investigating and searching for the teen.

During the investigation, a witness told deputies that the missing teen constantly had spoken about an English teacher named Kelly, and would often bring her coffee.

Deputies said their investigation led them to a Punta Gorda home, where Kelly Joyce Simpson, 31, lived.

Simpson taught at Charlotte High School.

Deputies went to Simpson’s home on Tuesday and asked to go inside to look for the missing teen.

After refusing at first to let deputies inside, deputies said Simpson went into the home and brought out the missing teen.

The teen reportedly told deputies he had been picked up by Simpson the night before, and had slept over her house for the night.

During questioning, Simpson admitted seeing social media posts about the missing teen, but did not tell anyone about his whereabouts.

Simpson was arrested and charged with Interference with Custody of Minor and booked into the Charlotte County jail.

She bonded out of jail on Wednesday.


About the Author:

Steve Owen is the Assistant News Director at WPLG, and helps lead the daily news operations.