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‘Obsessed' teacher facing child luring, other charges out on bond

PITTSBURGH — Police say a Pittsburgh elementary school teacher who resigned this month was obsessed with one of her 11-year-old students, encrypting her phone number on the girl's math homework, exchanging thousands of text messages with her and even talking of running away with her.

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Twenty-eight-year-old Geraldine Alcorn was arraigned Wednesday on charges of child luring, corruption of minors and attempting to interfere with custody of the child.

Alcorn posted her $100,000 bond Wednesday evening but was warned that if she contacts the alleged victim in any way, her bond will be revoked.

Channel 11 News reported that the 11-year-old student’s mother said 2,400 text messages were exchanged between her child and the Beechwood Elementary School teacher over a two-week span.

According to police, the texts expressed “deep love” between Alcorn and the student. The pair talked about Alcorn adopting the 11-year-old, texting that they would be “on the run” for a while.

Police said after the girl's mother discovered the messages on her iPod, she found handwritten letters in her daughter's school binder labeled "Things Ms. Alcorn and I can do," "What we can do" and "When we can do it."

Neighbors told Channel 11 Wednesday that they saw Alcorn on the front porch of the 11-year-old girl’s house but always assumed she was an aunt or relative.

Police said in addition to Alcorn showing up at the girl’s home, she allegedly brought the 11-year-old to her home in Bloomfield.

Pittsburgh Public Schools officials said staff "were made aware of concerns that a teacher had developed an improper attachment" with the student and was suspended. Alcorn resigned March 2.

Police said Alcorn still tried to contact the girl after that despite knowing police and school officials were investigating and having been warned by police to not contact the student.

Alcorn returned to the school on Friday, March 13, to collect her personal belongings, and on the following Monday, the girl found "gifts and several letters, some encrypted, in her locker and desk," according to the criminal complaint. "The letters, written by Alcorn, instructed the 11-year-old female to contact her."

Alcorn hid her phone number on a math worksheet by telling the girl to dial numbers that had been circled, police said.

Police don't believe Alcorn's attraction to the girl was sexual, but say she continued to leave gifts and letters for the girl at school, even after resigning.

Frank DeMarco, whose daughter also had Alcorn as a teacher, said the 28-year-old was well-liked and would play "Trivia Crack," a popular smartphone app, with her students.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WPXI

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