US teacher allegedly stalked 11-year-old and sent her 60 love letters
A former “Teacher of the Year” at a South Carolina elementary school has been accused of stalking an 11-year-old student by sending her numerous love letters and attending her church, police said.
Dylan Robert Dukes, who taught at Starr Elementary School, is said to have written the young girl over 60 love letters and also given her cards, gifts and “unwanted hugs” that made her uncomfortable, according to an arrest warrant filed WIS-TV.
Before summer vacation this year, Dukes gave the girl a personalized box with a letter for each day of the week to read during the vacation, authorities said.
When he learned that she would no longer attend his school, he began performing at her church.
When detectives became aware of his disturbing behavior, they searched Duke’s classroom and found numerous pictures of the child in his desk, although these were not of a sexual nature.
Dukes was charged with stalking and taken to the Anderson County Detention Center.
“We are glad that this is the only charge,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “Investigators were able to stop the harassment and stalking before it escalated into physical violence – which the juvenile was afraid of.”
The teacher appeared virtually in court on Thursday wearing a Starr Elementary School T-shirt.
The victim’s parents spoke at the hearing, saying they feared for their daughter’s safety and were concerned about Duke’s access to their family, WIS-TV reported.
“My child has received love letters countless times from a grown man,” the girl’s desperate mother said in court.
“He began attending my child’s extra-school activities,” she continued. “He began attending our church. I now realize that this access to my child only fueled his obsession.”
The teacher’s lawyer pointed out that her client was named Teacher of the Year 2023 and urged that his client be released on bail as there is no risk of flight.
But the girl’s father protested against his release.
“Given Mr. Dukes’ unrestricted access to our family over the years and the unknown intentions of his obsession, I cannot feel confident that he will put my family in danger,” the father said.
The judge set Duke’s bail at $50,000 and ordered that if released, he not have any contact with the victim or her family.
According to prison records, he had not been released as of Thursday evening.
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