Connecticut State Police have arrested a former school employee accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy in Columbia last year.
Troopers said Alyson Cranick, 42, turned herself into police Tuesday on several charges including two counts of sexual assault, risk of injury to a child and impairing the morals of children.
In a message to the Columbia school community on Tuesday, the district said the allegations are disturbing and cause concerns about the safety of their children.
Police said they were made aware of a reported sex assault involving a minor that happened in 2022. The incident was reported to officers in September 2023.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
According to an arrest warrant, police said the 11-year-old told a relative that he was in a sexual relationship with Cranick during July and August of 2022. The boy said he had been communicating with Cranick over iMessage and Snapchat before ultimately using Discord.
The boy allegedly snuck out to meet Cranick and the two had sexual relations in her car on multiple occasions. The two had also kissed at Horace Porter School in Columbia, according to court documents.
Conversations between the two showed several flirtatious and sexual messages. The warrant also notes that Cranick made the boy a bracelet with the acronym "BFFLWB," meaning "Best Friends for Life With Benefits."
Local
Messages appear to show Cranick "emotionally manipulated [the boy] into spending more time with her." The boy eventually refused to sneak out to see Cranick, and messages between the two showed that the boy did not want to have any further relations with her, according to the warrant.
During her interview, Cranick told authorities that she did not initiate sexual contact, and she "downplayed any inappropriate reasoning for communicating [with the boy]," the warrant states. Police went on to say that Cranick claimed she was trying to comfort the boy because he was scared about family issues.
The school district said, "Columbia community members should be reassured that the safety of children is the district's foremost concern," citing robust policies and procedures.
Cranick is being held on a $500,000 bond.
