MIAMI, Okla. – Police now say an Ottawa County teacher confessed to an investigator that she sexually abused a teen in her care.
Melanie Friend, 35, of Wyandotte, is charged in Ottawa County District Court with child sexual abuse. She appeared in court via a virtual platform and was later released after posting $25,000 bail.
On the day of her arrest, Friend appeared at the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office crying, confessing to having a sexual relationship with the teen in June 2025, police say.
The alleged victim was mad at his foster dad, and Friend went into his bedroom to talk about the issue, according to an arrest affidavit.
Friend told the investigator, “one thing led to another and herself and … [had] sexual intercourse on the floor of … room at the Friend residence,” the affidavit states.
The teen was 16 years old at the time of the offense. She told investigators “there had been times when he would hug her from behind while she was washing dishes and other instances where he would pull her onto his lap,” the affidavit states.
Friend denied any other encounters, including touching or flirtatious involvement. However, Friend confessed to being in the teen’s room with him at night watching movies or playing video games, but said: “she always stays on top of the covers.”
Friend’s husband told investigators that he and his wife had been arguing for approximately a year because instead of going to bed with him, his wife stays up all hours of the night in the alleged victim’s bedroom, but “he’s never caught them doing anything inappropriate,” the affidavit states.
Friend also confessed to having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old male, but that he was not in her care nor was he a foster child, the affidavit states. Friend did not disclose the teen’s identity.
Friend’s husband told investigators he learned of his wife’s sexual relations with another teen but said at the time “she was really intoxicated,” the affidavit states.
Friend is employed at Turkey Ford Schools as a first-grade teacher. The school released a statement that a certified substitute teacher would be in place on Wednesday, and they “will take all legal and appropriate action regarding this staff member’s employment.”
According to Friend’s social media page, she operated a photography page that specialized in sessions for children’s and teens’ portraits.
Melanie Friend, 35, of Wyandotte, is charged in Ottawa County District Court with child sexual abuse. She appeared in court via a virtual platform and was later released after posting $25,000 bail.
On the day of her arrest, Friend appeared at the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office crying, confessing to having a sexual relationship with the teen in June 2025, police say.
The alleged victim was mad at his foster dad, and Friend went into his bedroom to talk about the issue, according to an arrest affidavit.
Friend told the investigator, “one thing led to another and herself and … [had] sexual intercourse on the floor of … room at the Friend residence,” the affidavit states.
The teen was 16 years old at the time of the offense. She told investigators “there had been times when he would hug her from behind while she was washing dishes and other instances where he would pull her onto his lap,” the affidavit states.
Friend denied any other encounters, including touching or flirtatious involvement. However, Friend confessed to being in the teen’s room with him at night watching movies or playing video games, but said: “she always stays on top of the covers.”
Friend’s husband told investigators that he and his wife had been arguing for approximately a year because instead of going to bed with him, his wife stays up all hours of the night in the alleged victim’s bedroom, but “he’s never caught them doing anything inappropriate,” the affidavit states.
Friend also confessed to having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old male, but that he was not in her care nor was he a foster child, the affidavit states. Friend did not disclose the teen’s identity.
Friend’s husband told investigators he learned of his wife’s sexual relations with another teen but said at the time “she was really intoxicated,” the affidavit states.
Friend is employed at Turkey Ford Schools as a first-grade teacher. The school released a statement that a certified substitute teacher would be in place on Wednesday, and they “will take all legal and appropriate action regarding this staff member’s employment.”
According to Friend’s social media page, she operated a photography page that specialized in sessions for children’s and teens’ portraits.
