North Carolina authorities say a Charlotte-Mecklenburg School teacher is accused of having a sexual relationship with a high school student and confirmed her arrest.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police announced Thursday morning that Gabriela Neufeld, 26, is facing charges that include five counts of felony sexual activity with a student by a teacher.
Officials say they learned on Wednesday that Neufeld was a teacher at South Mecklenburg High School and allegedly engaged in sexual activity with an 18-year-old boy, with at least one incident happening near the school.
Neufeld started working for the school system in 2021 and had just entered a four-year contract that will run through 2026, QC News reported.
She was booked around 5:09 a.m. Wednesday at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center and released the next day on a $75,000 secured bond, court records show.
She is scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon.
The school system released a statement regarding the matter, saying:
“Good morning South Meck High School families.
This is Principal Marc Angerer with a message about a news story you may have seen regarding a South Meck teacher. Although I cannot discuss personnel information, I wanted to inform you that we take this matter seriously. We share your concerns regarding this situation. The safety and security of our students and staff is of the utmost importance to us all, and while this is a troubling situation, it is being managed by law enforcement.
Thank you for your support of South Meck High School.”
