Mendham Teacher, Student Had 3-Day Tryst, Complaint Says

The Mendham High School teacher arrested and charged earlier this week with official misconduct for having a sexual relationship with a student has now been accused of having sexual intercourse with the teen.

According to nj.com, a complaint filed by Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Bruce LaFera states Nicole McDonough, 32, had sexual intercourse with the 18-year-old between May 31 and June 2, 2014.

McDonough was arrested Tuesday, Dec. 30 and charged with second-degree official misconduct. McDonough, of Mt. Olive, posted $75,000 bail that same day with the condition of not being able to have contact with the victim, the report said.

The complaint did not identify the teen, using “X.X.” in place of a name, the report said.

Patch originally reported Tuesday McDonough was suspended with pay upon her arrest, according to West Morris Regional High School District Superintendent Mackey Pendergrast. McDonough taught at West Morris Central High School from 2007 to 2011, left to raise a family, and returned to West Morris Mendham High School in April 2013, according to her district profile page. McDonough is a teacher of International Baccalaureate and advanced placement English.

According to the report’s transcription of the complaint, McDonough “did commit official misconduct by committing acts relating to defendant’s office but constituting an unauthorized exercise of defendant’s official function, knowing that such act is unauthorized, specifically by engaging in sexual intercourse with X.X., who was a student at West Morris Mendham High School, while defendant was employed as a teacher at West Morris Mendham High School.”

A joint announcement between the Mendham Borough Police Department and Morris County Prosecutor’s Office on Dec. 30 only explained a sexual relationship between the two, and didn’t specify intercourse.