Cops search phone of teen who brought a gun to school only to find inappropriate messages with a teacher
The high school teacher has reportedly been placed on administrative leave
When a 17-year-old brought a gun to his Florida school in December, investigators searched his phone — and uncovered a teacher’s disturbing texts to him, according to a report.
Ocala Police searched the student’s phone after he was caught with a firearm at Forest High School in Marion County, according to an arrest report obtained by The Independent. His phone revealed that 35-year-old Lindsey Rickman, a language arts and reading teacher at the school, had been sending him romantic messages.
Investigators found that the pair had said “I love you” to each other and that Rickman’s name was saved on the student’s phone with a heart emoji next to it.
In one exchange, Rickman, who is married, asked the student whether he had a girlfriend. He replied: “Na only u lolz.”
The 35-year-old told the student multiple times that she wanted to hug him and called him “cute,” according to the arrest report. The exchange, with messages dating back to 2023, suggested Rickman “was possibly grooming and gaining his trust as an authority figure in his life” and was trying to “desensitize him to the physical touch she desires.”
The student denied having any sexual contact with Rickman when police asked — but said he could have if he wanted to. He described her to police as a “cool friend.”
Rickman was his 8th grade teacher, he told police. She previously taught at Fort King Middle School staring in 2019 until she moved to Forest High School in 2024, according to the school district.
Police believed their “romantic relationship” began in June 2023, according to the arrest report.
Rickman was booked into Marion County Jail Wednesday and charged with being an authority figure engaged in a romantic relationship with a student in violation of state law, records show.
She was released Thursday evening on a surety bond. Rickman is next due in court on March 18.
Marion County Public School district placed her on paid administrative leave as the police and internal investigations continue, a spokesperson for the school district said, noting Rickman has “no reprimands or letters of discipline in her employee file other than leaving early one day.”