A 33-year-old former public school teacher in South Carolina is facing serious charges after authorities say she engaged in a years-long abusive relationship with a male student.
Nicole Ballew Callaham voluntarily surrendered to the Anderson County Detention Center on Thursday, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office. She now faces three felony counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and an additional charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The investigation, launched in May, revealed disturbing details about an alleged pattern of grooming and exploitation that began in 2021. At the time, Callaham was employed as a teacher and allegedly began developing an inappropriate relationship with the student, who was in his early teens.
Authorities say Callaham routinely took the student out of school, transported him to sports practices, and maintained close involvement in his after-school activities. These frequent interactions reportedly escalated into a prolonged pattern of abuse.
“The timeline of events, supported by digital evidence and cooperation from the victim’s family, paints a picture of sustained misconduct,” officials said.
The victim, now 18, came forward after years of silence, citing emotional processing and trauma recovery as the reason for his delayed disclosure.
In addition to the charges filed in Anderson County, Greenville City Police have also brought similar allegations forward. The reported abuse allegedly continued when the student transitioned to a school within Greenville’s jurisdiction.
Callaham has since resigned from her position with Anderson School District Five.
