A 45-year-old former New Jersey special education teacher and mother of two has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for sexually abusing a 15-year-old student.
The woman, identified as Allison Havemann-Niedrach, broke down in tears in court as the teenager delivered an emotional statement before she was sentenced.
Follow Elizabethblog on WhatsApp:
Join the Elizabethblog WhatsApp Channel for the latest news and updates
During the hearing, the victim revealed that the first two months of the relationship eventually became a nightmare for him, explaining that he spent years believing that what happened was his fault.
“For two or three years, I thought it was my fault,” he said during the court hearing.
Despite the trauma he experienced, the teenager told the court that he had forgiven Havemann-Niedrach for her actions, a statement that reportedly caused the former teacher to burst into tears.
Havemann-Niedrach pleaded guilty in January to sexually assaulting the teenager over a six-month period in 2024, when he was in eighth grade.
Prosecutors said she became “obsessed” with the teenager and sent him approximately 25,000 messages during the period.
The investigation began after concerns were raised about the relationship between the teacher and student. Prosecutors said another teacher reportedly witnessed inappropriate physical contact and flirting between them.
The teenager’s mother also became suspicious after noticing changes in her son’s behaviour.
During sentencing, State Superior Court Judge Jill G. O’Malley condemned Havemann-Niedrach’s conduct, telling her: “You are his trauma. You ruined him.”
The court also heard that the abuse had a severe impact on the teenager, who at one point considered taking his own life before eventually telling his mother about the relationship.
Under her plea agreement, Havemann-Niedrach must serve at least 85% of her 12-year sentence. She will also be required to register as a sex offender, while her teaching certifications have been revoked.