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Photos for Headline Surfer / Kristen Williams, 41, an office assistant working with 6th graders at Heritage Middle School in Deltona, Florida, was arrested Dec. 29, 2021, by Volusia County deputies on charges of child abuse without great harm and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
DELTONA, Fla. -- A staff member at Heritage Middle School was arrested back in late December after she met with a 14-year-old student at 1:30 in the morning and smoked some marijuana with him before his parents discovered he was missing.
Kristen Williams, 41, an office assistant who works with 6th graders at Heritage Middle School, was arrested by Volusia County deputies hours later on charges of child abuse without great harm and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Here is a synopsis of what occurred as described in the arrest affidavit: Deputies responded to the incident around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, after the parents of the 14-year-old called the authorities to report what happened.
After noticing the boy was gone around 1:30 a.m., his stepfather started driving around the neighborhood looking for him while the mother discovered several incoming calls from a certain number on the home phone’s call log. Shortly after she called that number, her son arrived back home, apparently under the influence of marijuana, deputies said.
The boy told his parents and deputies that he met with Williams near his neighborhood around 1:30 and smoked marijuana with her in her van. When he saw his mother calling Williams’ cell phone, he had Williams drop him back off near his house.
Williams told detectives she acts as a mentor to multiple 6th graders at Heritage, communicates regularly with them via group chat, and that the 14-year-old boy had been in her vehicle and to her residence in the past to spend time with her own son. There were no allegations of any sexual abuse during this incident or in any prior encounters.
Williams told detectives she acts as a mentor to multiple 6th graders at Heritage, communicates regularly with them via group chat, and that the 14-year-old boy had been in her vehicle and to her residence in the past to spend time with her own son. There were no allegations of any sexual abuse during this incident or in any prior encounters.
Williams was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail, where she posted a $3,000 bond and was released later that morning.
Criminal Case Update: Kristen Williams has pleaded not guilty to child abuse and interference with custody, both felonies, as well as a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a child. She faces up to five years in prison if convicted of felonies. Williams is scheduled for a pre-trial on Feb. 15 before Circuit judge Jim Clayton at the Volusia County Courthouse in DeLand. She is represented by attorney Stuart I. Hyman.
About the Byline Writer: Henry Frederick is a member of the working press and publisher of Headline Surfer, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet launched in 2008, that serves greater Daytona Beach, Sanford & Orlando from Lake Mary, Florida via HeadlineSurfer.com. Frederick has amassed close to 150 award-winning bylines in print & online. He earned his Master of Arts in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University in 2019. He was a breaking news reporter (metro cops & courts beat) for the Daytona Beach News-Journal for nearly a decade. And Before that worked the same beat for The Journal-News/Gannett Suburban Newspapers in Rockland/Westchester counties, NY, dating back to 1989. Having witnessed the execution of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Florida's death chamber and covering other high profile cases, Frederick has appeared on national crime documentary shows on Discovery ID, Reelz, and the Oxygen Network series "Snapped" for his analysis. • Award-Winning Journalism: Florida Press Club recognizes Headline Surfer for nine stories in 2020 statewide competition. • Award-Winning Journalism of Henry Frederick.