A fifth-grade teacher exchanged 35,000 text messages with an 11-year-old student about making out and sexual desire, then sobbed in court as she learned her fate.
Quick Take
- Madison Bergmann, 25, pleaded guilty to child enticement and sexual misconduct after exchanging over 35,000 texts with an elementary student
- Communications included explicit content about kissing, making out, and sexual attraction, plus nearly 100 handwritten notes found in a folder labeled with the student’s name
- The relationship began innocuously during a family ski trip but escalated into near-daily secretive messaging and in-class physical contact
- A plea deal capped her potential prison sentence at 12 years instead of 18, though she faces sentencing today
How a Ski Trip Became a Gateway to Exploitation
Madison Bergmann’s descent into predatory behavior began with what appeared to be an innocent family outing. During winter break 2023-2024, Bergmann, then a fifth-grade teacher at River Crest Elementary School in Hudson, Wisconsin, went skiing with the student and his mother. During this trip, the student obtained her phone number—a seemingly casual exchange that would become the foundation for months of grooming. By early 2024, the communication pattern shifted dramatically from occasional contact to obsessive daily texting.
The Digital Paper Trail That Exposed Everything
Between early 2024 and April 2024, Bergmann and the student exchanged over 35,000 text messages, approximately 36 emails, and nearly 100 handwritten notes and letters. The messages progressed from seemingly affectionate to explicitly sexual. Bergmann wrote that the student “turns her on” and professed obsession with him. The student reciprocated with messages like “I just want to make out with you,” to which Bergmann replied “I do too! Like alllll the time.” Police discovered notes stored in a folder labeled with the student’s name, suggesting deliberate organization and premeditation. Some notes even contained admissions of awareness—Bergmann wrote “I have to be the adult here and stop”—yet continued the behavior regardless.
The Moment Everything Unraveled
On April 29, 2024, the student’s mother discovered the explicit text messages after overhearing a conversation. What she found horrified her: a systematic pattern of sexual grooming conducted by someone entrusted with her child’s education and safety. The mother immediately reported the discovery to school authorities. Within weeks, police arrested Bergmann in May 2024, and the Hudson School District issued a statement describing the situation as “deeply troubling,” committing to support affected students. By May 13, 2024, Bergmann resigned from her position.
The Classroom Became the Crime Scene
The texts were not the only evidence of misconduct. The student confirmed to investigators that Bergmann had kissed him and engaged in inappropriate touching during class—behavior hidden from other students and staff through deliberate concealment. This transformed the classroom from a learning environment into a space where sexual abuse occurred under the guise of special attention. The audacity of committing these acts in a supervised setting, surrounded by other children, underscores the predatory confidence Bergmann exhibited.
Justice Through a Negotiated Deal
On October 1, 2025, Bergmann appeared in court and pleaded guilty to child enticement with sexual contact and two counts of sexual misconduct by school staff. The prosecution’s original charges included first-degree child sexual assault and use of computer to facilitate child sex crime—felonies that could have resulted in an 18-year sentence. Through a plea agreement, these more serious charges were dropped, capping her maximum prison time at 12 years. Bergmann wept as she accepted the guilty plea, led away in handcuffs to await sentencing in St. Croix County Jail without bond.
A System Failure That Demands Answers
This case exposes critical vulnerabilities in school systems nationwide. A teacher’s access to student phone numbers, the absence of monitoring protocols for teacher-student digital communication, and the ease with which notes could be exchanged and hidden all contributed to the prolonged abuse. The volume of communication—35,000 messages—did not trigger institutional safeguards. Schools must implement clear boundaries, monitor digital interactions, and train staff to recognize grooming patterns before they escalate to physical contact.
Sources:
Madison Bergman Student Turns On Pleads Guilty – TooFab
Teacher Exchanged 35000 Texts with 11-Year-Old She Made Out With Court Docs – Wondery
