Female teacher who started grooming young babysitter when she was just 13 learns fate

Stefanie Erin Kellenberger was jailed after she began grooming her daughter’s underage babysitter when she was just 13 years old, and quickly turned the relationship sexual

A former teacher has been jailed for a string of sex crimes against her daughter’s underage babysitter. Stefanie Erin Kellenberger, 41, began grooming the girl when she was just 13 years old, and the sexual contact began the following year. The abuse continued until the child was 16, the age of consent in Ohio, Bryan Dove.

Kellenberger admitted guilt to four counts of third-degree felony sexual battery and 17 counts of third-degree felony unlawful sexual conduct with a minor between February 2020 and October 2021. Earlier this week, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison for having an illicit relationship with a minor. Kellenberger may be granted a judicial release after a decade if she doesn’t commit any other offenses.

Richland County Common Pleas Judge Brent Robinson previously told the former sixth-grade teacher: “You had been a teacher. She had been a student. But at the time these occurred, you were not her teacher and she was not your student.”

During a sentencing hearing, he added: “Don’t let anybody be confused, this is a 15-year prison sentence with the hope that you come back in 10 years, and you’ve been a model inmate — you’ve done everything you were supposed to do, you haven’t got in any trouble at all.”

All of the crimes occurred at Kellenberger’s home in Shelby, Ohio, the court heard. The former teacher’s lawyer argued that consent was not the centre of the case and the assistant prosecutor Dove said that no force was used against the young girl.

James Mayer III, Kellenberger’s defense attorney, said: “Consent was never an issue in this case. It’s an age thing.”

The teacher was placed on paid administrative leave from Shelby City Schools in February 2024 after “allegations were made” and reported by police to the school group. It was not until after she was officially indicted on criminal charges in September 2024 that she resigned.

The victim in the case recommended that Kellenberger only get a three year sentence, but Judge Robinson could not support this, arguing that it was far too short.

Prosecutors then gave Kellenberger’s lawyers two options, either she serve a 12-year flat prison sentence or 15 years with the possibility of judicial release after 10 years. The teacher decided to go for the second option, which meant that the victim did not have to testify in court.

For the rest of her life, she must register with the county sheriff as a Tier 3 sex offender every 90 days and must avoid all future contact with the victim and forefeit her teaching license.

During the sentencing hearing, Kellenberger apologized to her victim saying: “I know that during this time, you were just a child, and I was an adult in a position of trust.

“I’m responsible for everything that happened between us.”

She added: “I’m so sorry for all of the emotional pain and hurt that I’ve caused you. I hope that my guilty pleas and this sentence will provide some degree of closure for you as you move on with your life.

“I fully accept the consequences of my actions and the sentence that I will be receiving today.”

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