A former high school teacher convicted of sleeping with one of her underage students while her husband was away has escaped jail time.
McKenna Kindred, 25, worked as a teacher at the Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley, Washington, before being sacked due to her inappropriate relationship with a student.
As reported by the New York Post, her relationship with a 17-year-old student began in June 2022 after the unnamed boy found her Instagram account and the pair began exchanging messages.
They kept in contact for months and, when Kindred's husband left for a hunting trip in November of that year, she engaged in sexual activity in her home with the 17-year-old.
The teenager leaked the messages between him and his teacher to his friends, who subsequently shared them with school officials in December 2022.
When rumors began circulating about their relationship, both Kindred and the student denied that any sexual encounters had taken place.
A further investigation was launched, where the 17-year-old told officials that he had been messaging his teacher and the pair had exchanged inappropriate videos.
The student then came clean and admitted that they had slept together.
The texts revealed a string of sexual messages sent between the pair, with Kindred writing things such as "I wanted you to be in my room," and "When other girls talk about you in my class I could feel myself getting mad."
She also wrote: "I really like being touched by you," per KHQ.
Kindred was placed on administrative leave in December 2022 but resigned from her position in 2023.
The student's mother, Ashley Beckley, claimed that Kindred's actions were an "abuse of power", while claiming that her son had been groomed since he was 16.
"I barely slept for several weeks in fear of the physical retaliation [my son] might be victim to as McKenna involved him in her adult marital affairs,” Beckley said in court.
She further claimed that the affair made it so her son was damaged socially, emotionally, and academically.
In a prepared statement, Kindred said: "I know this past year has been incredibly difficult for all involved. As a result of my actions, I’ve lost my career, valuable friendships, freedoms and have let down countless people who placed their trust in me.
"My mental health has also significantly been affected by this event. I am deeply ashamed of the pain I have caused."
The 25-year-old pleaded guilty on Thursday to amended charges of second-degree sexual misconduct with a minor and communication with a minor for immoral purposes.
Kindred was sentenced to two years of probation, handed $700 in fines and fees, and ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
The former teacher has been attending counseling since her affair came to light, and while her mental health, depression, anxiety, and marital issues don't excuse her crimes, her counselor says that they played a part in them.
