Former Washington Teacher Admits Illegal Sexual Relationship With 16-Year-Old Student

Mackenzie Nott, a 25-year-old former elementary school teacher from Washington state, admitted to engaging in an illegal sexual relationship with a 16-year-old high school student. The case came to light after her husband, Garrett, discovered flirtatious messages between Nott and the student on her phone. Garrett, who was an assistant athletics coach at the high school the student attended, confronted them and reported the matter to the police before filing for divorce.

According to investigation documents, Nott taught first grade at St. John Elementary School, while her husband worked at the nearby high school. The student told investigators that Nott initiated contact via Snapchat and arranged to meet him around 2:15 a.m. on May 3, when her husband was asleep. They drove to a secluded area in Harwood Hill, where the student said Nott initiated sexual contact. He then drove her home around 4 a.m. Location data from a tracking device confirmed this timeline.

Nott was arrested on May 10. Initially, she claimed they only kissed but later admitted to the sexual relationship. She was fired shortly after her arrest. Garrett filed for divorce in June after about four years of marriage. On July 10, Nott pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual conduct with a minor as part of a plea deal. She remains in Whitman County jail awaiting sentencing on August 28. The agreement includes a prison term of six to twelve months, mandatory registration as a sex offender for ten years, and a five-year protective order barring contact with the student.

Deputy Chief Prosecutor Tessa Sholl stated, "The defendant's plea is an important step in holding her accountable and spares the victim the burden of testifying at trial."