ANNE ARUNDEL, Md. — An Anne Arundel high school teacher has been arrested for having sexual relations with a student.
In January 2019, the Anne Arundel County Police responded to South River High School in reference to a possible sex offense.
The incident was involving a schoolteacher and a teenage student which had occurred earlier. School administrators advised they received information that the teenage victim and a teacher were seen together initiating inappropriate contact.
The teacher, identified as 37-year-old Meredith Susan Barry Martin was immediately removed by the Anne Arundel County School Board from having any further contact with children.
The Anne Arundel County Child Abuse Unit along with members from the Department of Social Services coordinated numerous interviews with potential witnesses and the suspect. Recently, the teenage victim submitted a written statement to the Anne Arundel County Board of Education confirming Martin had inappropriate contact with the victim.
On January 16, the teenage victim was interviewed by detectives where the victim disclosed having numerous sexual encounters with Martin in the Davidsonville and Edgewater area.
Working in conjunction with the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, detectives obtained an arrest warrant charging Martin with five counts of sex abuse of a minor, eight counts of 4th degree sex offense involving a person in the position of authority, and two counts of perverted practice.
On Wednesday, Martin was taken into custody without incident.
In a statement, Superintendent George Arlotto said:
“The charges against Meredith Martin sicken me to my core and besmirch the incredible work teachers across our county do with children every single day. We place teachers in positions of responsibility and as a society we entrust to them the most precious thing we have: our children. No one who acts in the way in which Meredith Martin has been accused of acting should be around any children in any school. Our school system removed her from her teaching position last year the minute we received the first allegation, and she has been working in a position in which she has had no contact with children since that time. We will continue to cooperate with our partners in law enforcement, and make decisions on any future AACPS employment after the legal matters are settled."
To read a full statement from the Principal of South River High School, click here.
As the investigation continues the Anne Arundel County Police is urging any other victims or anyone with information on these incidents to contact the Anne Arundel County Child Abuse Unit at 410-222-4733.
Callers wishing to remain anonymous are asked to contact the Anne Arundel County Tip Line at 410-222-4700 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 866-7-LOCKUP (866-756-2587).
