Police: Stamford High teacher threatened student for sex

Stamford High School teacher Danielle Watkins, 32, of Norwalk, was charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sale of marijuana and one count of risk of injury to a minor after having an alleged affair with an 18-year-old student and providing marijuana and smoking with a second 15-year-old student, according to police. less Stamford High School teacher Danielle Watkins, 32, of Norwalk, was charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sale of marijuana and one count of risk of injury to a minor after having an alleged ... more Photo: Contributed Photo Photo: Contributed Photo Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Police: Stamford High teacher threatened student for sex 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

STAMFORD -- A Stamford High School teacher accused of threatening to fail an 18-year-old student if he did not have sex with her and providing him and a friend with marijuana, turned herself over to police early Thursday.

Danielle Watkins, 32, of Fort Point St., Norwalk, was charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sale of marijuana and one count of risk of injury to a minor, according to a statement released by police Thursday morning.

Watkins posted $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on July 31.

Police launched an investigation into the allegations on June 26 after the 18-year-old student appeared at police headquarters and provided a statement about the inappropriate relationship. The victim allegedly told police he had numerous sexual encounters with Watkins, his English teacher, from the start of the school year in September 2013 to the end in June. He told police the encounters occurred in her car during school hours, but not on school grounds.

In addition, he told police Watkins provided him and a friend with marijuana and they would smoke it on and off school grounds during school hours.

A day after the student reported the allegations, police executed a search warrant of Watkins's car during a motor vehicle stop in Norwalk. During the stop, police said Watkins tried to hide her cellphone under the passenger seat of the car and she became verbally combative after marijuana was discovered in the vehicle. At the time, she was charged with interfering with a search warrant and possession of marijuana.

Police seized the car for a forensic examination, and a search of her phone revealed more than 2,000 text messages, naked pictures of herself and hundreds of calls between her and the student, police said.

Police believe the sexual activity and drug use occurred as frequently as several times a week throughout the school year, Stamford Police Lt. Diedrich Hohn of the Bureau of Criminal Investigations said.

"We have it up to 20 times but we didn't pin it down exactly," Hohn said.

During the investigation, police said they also identified a second 15-year-old student who Watkins allegedly provided with marijuana. In a statement to police, the student said Watkins provided him with marijuana and rolling papers on numerous occasions and he smoked marijuana with her in her car during school hours on school grounds.

Stamford Public Schools Superintendent Winifred Hamilton said the teacher was suspended near the end of the year after initial reports she was acting strange with a student. The allegations were initially reported to human resources and the assistant superintendent of secondary education.

"It's very upsetting," Hamilton said. "All our resources and support will go out to the families."

Hamilton said at about the same time she was contacted by a former student who knows one of the victims and more serious allegations were made.

"I immediately called the police," Hamilton said, adding she urged the former student to also report to proper authorities.

Police said no other students have come forward to make additional allegations.

Hamilton said if the charges are true the teacher will not return to Stamford Public Schools. Watkins remains suspended.

Hamilton was not aware of any other issues with Watkins in the 10 years Watkins has been a teacher.

When interviewed by police in June, the older boy Watkins is accused of having sex with told detectives the relationship began consensually but then Watkins began to use the threat of failing him to compel him to continue the sexual activity and accompanying drug use.

"It started off consensual but as it blossomed, he tried to call it off and stop it," Hohn said.

Devin Janosov, a personal injury attorney who is representing both students said that he is sending a notice of intent to sue to the city and school district this week, and said both his clients are "psychologically scarred."

"It is a deplorable situation that we entrust our children to schools when we have to go to work and here we have a person who took advantage of that situation to basically sexually abuse one student and use drugs with both of them," said Janosov.

Both students are in special education programs and the school should have taken notice of their absences during school hours, Janosov said.

Janosov said from the beginning of the sexual activity, the boy was "disgusted" and Watkins used the threat of bad grades to compel him to continue the relationship.

"It should have been apparent something was wrong from the attendance records, surveillance, and the procedures for getting on and off campus," Janosov said. "It is astounding they didn't notice what was happening."

Janosov said the 18 year old student Watkins is accused of having sex with had been put into a foster home in Stamford earlier in the year by the state Department of Children and Families to complete his senior year because of problems at his home in Hartford.

"He went from one bad situation to another," Janosov said.

Norwalk Police arrested Watkins on a warrant in April for possession of a controlled substance after she was pulled over after rear ending another car, according to an affidavit filed at the time.

The arresting officer found a total of 15 pills in a prescription bottle she had, including Lorazepam, a controlled substance, eight tablets of Xanax, and a tablet of Tramadol, which is considered an opioid, according to the warrant. Watkins initially said she could provide proof of valid prescriptions, but never did.

During the investigation, the mother of the 15-year-old boy told police that she confronted her son about his continued use of drugs after he returned from treatment at a drug rehabilitation facility, Hohn said. The son then first made the accusation that Watkins was furnishing him marijuana, Hohn said.

Defense attorney Carolyn Comerford is listed as representing Watkins in that case, but did not return calls for comment Thursday about the sex assault arrest. In addition to the sex assault , drug, and risk of injury to a minor charges, Stamford detectives pursued a charge of coercion against Watkins for using her authority to compel the older boy to have sex, but the State's Attorney's Office did not act on it, Hohn said.

"We did look at that," Hohn said. "She did use her power as a teacher."

-- Staff Writer Rob Varnon contributed to this report.