Ferri, who allegedly sent nude photos of herself to her former student, is prohibited from using the Internet to post selfies like this one online. Photo / Facebook
Ferri, who allegedly sent nude photos of herself to her former student, is prohibited from using the Internet to post selfies like this one online. Photo / Facebook
A former Florida middle school teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old student as well as supplying him marijuana was released from jail on Thursday night after having her bond reduced - as it emerged that she is divorcing her husband.
Stephanie Peterson Ferri, 26, was led into aDaytona Beach courtroom dressed in an orange jail garb and with handcuffs restraining her wrists for her initial court appearance.
Ferri appeared somber and pale during the brief hearing, and at times used her long black hair to shield her bare face from the news cameras in the courtroom, reports Daily Mail.
Her defense lawyer asked the judge to release his client from jail on her own recognizance, arguing that she posed no threat to the public, had no prior criminal history and was not a flight risk, reported WKMG.
The prosecution asked the judge to keep the bond amount unchanged, given the 'egregious' nature of the crime and the victim's young age, according to Ocala.com.
But County Judge Bryan Feigenbaum agreed to lower the bond amount form $25,000 (NZD$34,561) to $12,500 (NZD$17,280).
Ferri filed for divorce from her husband of two years, DeLand, Florida, firefighter Brandon Ferri (left). Photo / Facebook
He also barred Ferri from having contact with the victim and his parents, or anyone under the age of 18 who is not related to her.
Under the conditions of her release, the 26-year-old who stands accused, among other things, of sending nude photos of herself to her former student, is prohibited from using the Internet to post selfies online, and must take unspecified medications that have been prescribed to her.
Ferri posted the bond amount a short time after Thursday's court appearance and walked out of Volusia County Jail about 5pm.
It then emerged that about two weeks before she was arrested for allegedly having sex with her underage student, Ferri filed paperwork seeking to divorce her husband of two years, DeLand firefighter Brandon Ferri.
The teacher was arrested in Wednesday morning in New Smyrna, Florida after the alleged victim confided in his parents about his suspected relationship with the New Smyrna Beach Middle School science teacher.
The eighth-grader told them that Ferri picked him up occasionally from their home at 11pm and often spent hours with him at her home while her firefighters husband was at work.
He also said that she sent him nude photographs of herself and that she had bought him marijuana and a "bowl to smoke it".
The boy is said to have told his parents that the relationship made his grades suffer.
Ferri was booked into the county jail on charges of lewd or lascivious battery and transmitting harmful materials to a child.
Volusia County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest on Facebook.
