Ex-teacher, 33, charged over 'prolonged abuse' of boy, 14, she 'signed out of school'

A former elementary school teacher has been arrested after having what authorities described as "an inappropriate and unlawful relationship with a 14-year-old male". Nicole Ballew Callaham, 33, "voluntarily surrendered herself" on Thursday and was "charged with three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor," Anderson County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) in the US state of South Carolina wrote in an Instagram post.

Detectives determined that the former teacher "had a prolonged" relationship with the teen, and had allegedly "engaged in grooming behavior toward the boy during his early teenage years," the post added. The sheriff's office wrote: "An investigation initiated in May 2025 uncovered evidence that the misconduct began in 2021 and continued for at least two years with the then-teenage boy."

In a separate post obtained by People magazine and shared on Facebook, Greenville Police Department (GPD) added that "some of the alleged criminal activity had occurred within the jurisdiction of the City of Greenville".

The police department confirmed that Callaham had previously worked as teacher, writing: "The investigation revealed that Callaham engaged in an inappropriate and unlawful relationship with a 14-year-old male.

"Based on evidence collected, Greenville detectives obtained arrest warrants for multiple offences committed within our jurisdiction."

In addition to the ACSO's charges, the suspect has also been charged by GPD with eight counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and four counts of unlawful conduct towards a child.

The ACSO said on Instagram that the suspect and the teenager's relationship had "intensified as she reportedly signed the student out of school, transported him to practices, and served as a supervisor for after-school activities".

The sheriff's office added: "These repeated interactions led to a prolonged pattern of abuse, which was corroborated by search warrants and ongoing cooperation with the victim's family.

"According to investigators, the victim made the decision to come forward after turning 18, following time spent processing the experience and trauma associated with the abuse.'

The sheriff's office also said a "parallel investigation' was currently underway led by the Clemson City Police Department.