What did Rikki Lynn Laughlin do? Charges explored as Missouri special education teacher arrested over an alleged relationship with teenager

25-year-old special education teacher Rikki Lynn Laughlin has been accused of establishing an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old boy. The student accused Laughlin of sending him nudes and asking for inappropriate pictures from him, as per reports.

She has been charged with multiple charges, including possession of child pornography, tampering with a witness, and tampering with physical evidence.

Trigger warning: The article contains references to r*pe. Readers' discretion is advised.

The special education teacher had allegedly called the student at her place to establish an intimate relationship when her husband wasn't home. Laughlin is currently on leave, while the investigation is taking place.

Laughlin has a child as well (Image via Maries County Sheriff)

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Special ed teacher, Rikki Lynn Laughlin faces several s*x crime-related charges in connection to the allegations against her

Rikki Lynn Laughlin has been accused of sending inappropriate images to a 16-year-old boy. Laughlin faces a chain of charges, including possession of child p*rnography, tampering with a witness, tampering with physical evidence, attempted statutory r*pe in the second degree, promoting obscenity in the first degree, and furnishing p*rnographic materials to a minor. According to cops, the incidents possibly occurred between September 8 and October 19.

Maries County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that, according to the allegations, it was Laughlin who was being persuasive. The student was, instead, trying to make excuses to get out of the situation every time.

Authorities assumed that the teacher had contacted the student through Snapchat at the beginning of the school year. They further claimed that Laughlin ended up kissing the student in a classroom.

Laughlin has been accused of sending inappropriate images and videos to the teenager (Image via Johnsonvenida3/X)

Upon investigation, police discovered that the teacher sent the student videos of her using an adult toy. After Laughlin urged the student multiple times to send her nude pictures, he eventually agreed.

However, Laughlin later told him to delete the content she sent him, as people started talking. The boy deleted most of the content, but kept some and showed those to the police.

After talking to the alleged victim, police had an interview with the special ed teacher as well, who said:

"I was not aware he was a minor until yesterday." (Quotes via the Daily Mail)

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Police claimed that Rikki Lynn Laughlin cooperated during the questioning

Upon further questioning, Rikki Lynn Laughlin didn't hesitate to narrate her part of the story and confirmed the relationship.

She, however, claimed that it was the student who approached her. Police further claimed that she was ready to hand over her phone voluntarily for a search. Cops found videos on the phone that matched what the alleged victim said.

Rikki Lynn Laughlin was working as a special ed teacher at St. James R-1 High School. St. James R-1 School District Superintendent Tim Webster told KSDK in a statement:

"The District takes these matters seriously and reported allegations to appropriate outside agencies, including law enforcement. We have been actively cooperating with these agencies since the initial report."

She currently faces several s*x crime-related charges (Image via US-Crime/X)

The suspect's bond appearance hearing has been scheduled for November 14, 2023. The case is currently under investigation. If found guilty, Rikki Lynn Laughlin might just get her teaching career over once and for all.