VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. —
A former middle school teacher in New Smyrna Beach was sentenced to prison Wednesday for having sex with a 14-year-old student.
Stephanie Peterson was sentenced to 36 months for lewd and lascivious molestation and credited with credit for time served for the transmission of harmful materials to a minor.
After serving her three year sentence, Peterson will be on sex offender probation and be required to register as a sex offender.
In addition to the sexual relationship, investigators said Peterson had also sent the student nude photos.
During the sentencing hearing Wednesday a psychologist testified that Peterson was in the midst of an acute manic state from her bipolar disorder at the time she was having sex with the New Smyrna Beach Middle School student.
The victim’s mother said when Peterson abused her son, she changed him forever.
“My child is gone, his innocence stole from him at barely 14 years old by someone he trusted so much. We are left with a completely different child.”
The psychologist testified that there was a very low risk that Peterson would reoffend. The doctor said Peterson’s motivation in the irrational relationship was more a desire for attention then sexual gratification.
“Sorry doesn’t even begin to sum up my emotions,” Peterson said. “Every day of my life I wake up and ask myself ‘What have you done?’ Every day I pray I will be forgiven. Every day I fight with the remorse and shame I feel inside. Every day I wish I could scream I’m sorry.”
Prosecutors said during the hearing that Peterson used drugs and alcohol in front of the victim, and that she used those items to manipulate and sexually abuse the victim.