NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Nashville Police charged a McDowell Center for Children staff member with statutory rape by an authority figure.
Police officials say 29-year-old Lindsay J. Shelton drove to Nashville on two occasions to have sex with a 17-year-old former patient who was discharged from the center in June.
Dyersburg police arrested Shelton Wednesday. She was brought to Nashville Friday afternoon.
MNPD started investigating after the 17-year-old’s parents caught Shelton having sex with their son in their home on July 21. Police say Shelton visited and had sex with the teen while his parents were at work on July 1 as well.
Between June 15 and July 21, Shelton and the teen exchanged more than 8,900 text messages and made 182 telephone calls to each other, according to MNPD.
Shelton was allegedly in a supervisory role and in a position of trust over the teen while he was in the facility and used that position of trust to initiate a sexual relationship with him after his discharge.
Shelton is being held in lieu of a $40,000 bond.
