HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A South Florida educator was released from jail on Friday following her arrest on child molestation charges.
Local 10 News was there when 38-year-old Felicia Smith walked out of jail after being locked up for more than a day.
She did not have anything to say before getting into a car and rushing away.
According to police, Smith admitted to a “maternal” relationship between her and the student that she claimed began at the beginning of the year.
Authorities say that relationship, which was with one of her female students at Driftwood Middle School in Hollywood, evolved into something inappropriate.
Police said the girl’s family members noticed a marks on her cheek and neck that appeared to be hickeys.
The victim at first made up a story about being hit with a football by another student, authorities said.
As the family pressed for more information and detectives got involved, the girl revealed it was Smith who left the marks, admitting to other inappropriate and vulgar acts on campus that included regularly skipping PE class to go to Smith’s classroom and being forced to put her hands down Smith’s pants to pleasure her, authorities said.
Police said Smith admitted to kissing the student.
She is facing counts of lewd and lascivious molestation and lewd and lascivious battery.
Smith will be tracked by a GPS monitor and cannot go to the school or be anywhere close to the victim.
Authorities are still investigating Smith’s career and time on campus.