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Teacher at Christian school admits sex with teen

Woman arrested after boy comes forward

By WINK News

Police say a 21-year-old teacher was arrested after admitting to having sex with a minor at her North Port home in November 2006.

The North Port Police department said Crystal Bashford admitted to sexual intercourse with a boy who was 14-years-old at the time, after he reported the incident to police earlier this week.

Bashford is a teacher at the Palm Christian Academy in Port Charlotte, a a school for children from prekindergarten to 5-years-old.

The school said they were "surprised" to hear of her arrest in a statement sent to WINK News, and would not comment until the it had been investigated further.

The victim was not a student at the academy.

A Palm Christian Academy employee who answered the phone Wednesday said Bashford worked with 1-year-old students at the school.

The employee also said Bashford volunteered at an after-school program for teenagers that was not affiliated with the academy.

Bashford is out on $2,500 bond from Sarasota County Jail.

Sunday, Mar 16 at 5:02 PM Brad wrote ...

I wonder why a supposedly intelligent woman would through her career and life away to have sex with a little boy. If she was that hard up, she could've gone to any local bar and picked up a man there. I doubt they would've objected. But to get a young boy is way over the top and she deserved to lose her teaching creditials and her freedom.

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