The Wisconsin teacher accused of taking advantage of an 11-year-old student allegedly moved her desk out of sight so she could rub his legs during class.
Madison Bergmann, 24, was charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child under 13 after the victim’s father reported her to administrators and police at River Crest Elementary School.
The fifth-grade student told investigators that Bergmann rubbed his thigh and calves during independent reading time, according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday in St. Croix District Court.
Because of the position of his desk in the classroom, the boy “did not believe any of the other children would see what was happening,” according to the complaint.
The preteen told police that Bergmann kissed him several times in his classroom, either after school or while other students were eating lunch.
Madison Bergmann, 24, faces one count of first-degree sexual assault of a child under 13 years of age. She is accused of abusing a student in her fifth grade class.
Bergmann, photographed with her fiancé, allegedly rubbed the victim’s thigh and calves during independent reading time.
The boy told police that because of the position of his desk in Bergmann’s classroom at River Crest Elementary School, he did not believe other students could see the abuse.
The alarm went off on April 29, when the boy’s mother heard a phone call between Bergmann and the victim. His father confiscated his phone and discovered sexually charged text messages.
In a text message, Bergmann told the boy that he “wanted to just grab his face, push him to the ground and kiss him,” the complaint states.
In another text, he allegedly wrote: “I almost kissed you when you were on the floor today but I got distracted by your stomach.”
The complaint shows the boy’s father met with police and gave them copies of the text messages.
Bergmann was no stranger to the victim’s family, as they had gone on a ski trip together during the 2023 winter holidays.
She told police she got the boy’s cell phone number at the time “in case they somehow got separated on the ski hills,” and alleged that he called her several times “for no particular reason.” .
When police asked about the text messages, Bergmann “asserted his right to counsel and the interview was stopped,” according to the complaint. She then she was arrested.
The 11-year-old’s father discovered text messages between the teacher and his son, in which Bergmann said she “wanted to just grab his face, push him to the ground and kiss him.”
The 24-year-old obtained the boy’s mobile number when she accompanied her family on a ski trip during the 2023 winter holidays.
Bergmann was scheduled to marry her fiancé Sam Hickman in July, but the wedding was postponed and her registry was taken offline.
Investigators searched his backpack and discovered a folder stamped with the victim’s name that contained several handwritten letters.
“In her notes she tells him that she loves him, wants to kiss him, that he turns her on and that she is obsessed with him,” the complaint states.
In one letter, Bergmann allegedly wrote: “One of my cousins is in fifth grade and I can’t imagine a man talking to her the way we talk.” I know we have a special relationship and I love you more than anyone in the world, but I have to be the adult here and stop.
Police also spoke with the boy, who “made comments about really liking her, trusting her, feeling weird but also liking her,” according to the complaint.
Following Bergmann’s arrest, Hudson School District Superintendent Nick Oullette issued a statement to the families.
‘No Superintendent can ever imagine being in front of a group of parents with this news. As a leader of this school community, as a parent, this is heartbreaking,” he wrote. ‘I want you to know that the School District is taking this very seriously. We care about each of you and your children.’
He urged parents to be patient and “please understand that there are things we simply cannot say given that the investigation is still ongoing.”
The district also shared a timeline with parents of fifth-grade students detailing how the administration responded once informed of the allegations on May 1.
That day, around noon, the district learned that a parent was concerned about Bergmann’s behavior. She was removed from the classroom at 12:37 p.m. and the district contacted police approximately 10 minutes later.
Bergmann was arrested that same day. By the end of the week she had been placed on unpaid administrative leave.
The 24-year-old appeared in court and was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond ahead of a May 30 court date.
Under the terms of his release, Bergmann cannot have contact with anyone under the age of 18. He is prohibited from accessing school property and must wear an electronic monitoring device.
Bergmann, originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, had been teaching at River View since August 2022 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin River Falls.
The 24-year-old was due to marry her fiancé, Sam Hickman, in July, but the wedding has been postponed indefinitely. couple’s registration was also disconnected.
Hickman works in operations at Little Free Library, a Minnesota-based nonprofit that manages volunteer-run book exchange boxes. His LinkedIn page was deleted amid the fallout surrounding his future girlfriend.
Two ‘Veteran substitute teachers will manage Bergmann’s classroom for the remainder of the school year, according to the district.
Hudson Schools is also conducting its own investigation to determine whether action involving employee discipline should be taken and whether district policies should be evaluated or changed.