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Smiling female teacher 'groomed pupil, 16, and planned to flee country with him'

Amanda Katz, 55, from Georgia in the US, was arrested and charged with felony sexual assault over claims she groomed a 16-year-old pupil for months

[Amanda Katz, 55]

Amanda Katz, 55(Image: Roswell Police Department)

A school teacher's mugshot has gone viral after she was arrested for allegedly grooming a 16-year-old pupil. Amanda Katz, 55, a former teacher and school administrator at Roswell High School in Georgia, US, allegedly planned to run away with the student to Mexico.

She is accused of carrying out a relationship with the teen over a number of months. On Tuesday (June 2), her mugshot was captured during the formal booking process after she was taken into custody by the Fulton County Sheriff's Office. Her picture, which has since been circulating online, shows her smiling.

Her picture, which has since been circulating online, shows her smiling. The picture sparked outrage on social media. One Facebook user said: Shes smiling on the mugshot.

[Roswell High School]

Roswell High School(Image: WAGA-TV/FOX 5 Atlanta)

Katz was taken into custody on June 2 after arrest warrants were secured following a review of digital forensics and witness statements. She was booked by the Fulton County Sheriffs Office and her bond was later set at $25,000 (19,000).

Police allege the exploitation escalated from intensive contact into repeated physical encounters, and even an alleged plan for the pair to flee the country together. Katz worked at Roswell High School for 11 years from 2015 to 2026, initially as a teacher before moving into a role as an administrative assistant, the Daily Mail reported.

The boy was a student at the school and had previously been in Katzs class before she switched into administration, reports claim. Investigators claim the relationship turned physical in late December 2025, just after Christmas.

Katz allegedly used the pretext of wanting the teen to teach her Spanish to spark contact. From January to February 2026, the warrants allege the sexual encounters continued across multiple off-campus locations while the pair stayed in near-constant touch through calls and messages.

[ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 06: Law enforcement officers are seen on the grounds of the Georgia State Capitol during a protest against police brutality on June 6, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. This is the 12th day of protests since George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)]

The Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) made an official misconduct referral to Roswell Police

The alleged abuse came to light over Valentines Day weekend in February 2026 when the teenagers mum is said to have discovered explicit text messages on her sons phone during a family mountain trip.

Earlier this year, the Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) made an official misconduct referral to Roswell Police. Katz then reportedly resigned from her role at the school as detectives began their investigation. Warrants obtained by local US outlets describe what police allege was a calculated pattern of grooming.

Katz is accused of embedding herself in the familys life to lower suspicions, allegedly tutoring the victims younger sibling, buying gifts for family members, and even renting a holiday cabin in Helen, Georgia, for the entire family. She is accused of carrying out repeated off-campus sexual acts at her home in Alpharetta, inside her vehicle, and in a car parked outside the teens place of work.

A weekend trip to Helen, Georgia, is also referenced in the case material. Investigators claim that between late December and mid-February the pair exchanged around 19,500 text messages and made nearly 600 phone calls.

Police also allege the relationship progressed to an escape plot, with Katz said to be arranging for the 16-year-old to graduate early, move into her home, and ultimately run away with her to Mexico. The warrants include alleged messages that prosecutors say show Katz knew the risk.

In one, she is quoted as reportedly saying: I would give you everything I have. In another: I am crazy about you.

She is also quoted allegedly writing: Just telling you this can get me fired... I need to leave Roswell... I have done a lot of stupid things. A lot. But this is top level.

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