A 25-year-old engaged teacher sobbed uncontrollably in court today as she learned her fate after admitting to grooming an 11-year-old student with over 35,000 explicit texts about making out.
Story Snapshot
- Madison Bergmann pleaded guilty to child enticement and sexual misconduct after exchanging 35K texts, 100 notes, and emails professing obsession and desire with her fifth-grade student.
- Communications escalated from a ski trip to daily explicit messages, including in-class kissing and touching confirmed by the boy.
- Plea deal dropped assault charges, capping prison at 12 years; sentencing occurred December 22, 2025, in St. Croix County.
- Hudson School District reported the breach, prioritizing student support amid shattered trust.
- Case highlights digital grooming risks in schools, demanding stricter boundaries.
Connections Form During Innocent Outing
Madison Bergmann, 25, joined the 11-year-old student and his mother for a ski trip over winter break 2023-2024. The boy obtained her phone number there. Texting began early 2024 and exploded to over 35,000 messages, nearly 100 handwritten notes, 36 emails, and artwork. Police found notes in her backpack labeled with his name. Content turned explicit fast: love declarations, kissing desires, obsession admissions.
Bergmann wrote notes like “she loves him, wants to kiss him, he turns her on.” The student replied, “I just want to make out with you,” and she agreed, “I do too! Like alllll the time.” One note showed partial awareness: “I have to be the adult here and stop.” Yet exchanges continued near-daily.
Explicit Communications Breach Classroom Trust
In the fifth-grade classroom at River Crest Elementary in Hudson, Wisconsin, the student reported kisses and hidden touching. Bergmann exploited her authority, passing notes during class. The boy described sex talks and physical contact. Evidence from device searches confirmed grooming patterns: digital floods mixed with secretive paper exchanges.
Prosecutors detailed felony counts including child enticement and computer use to facilitate sex crimes. Defense challenged touch specifics in October 2024 probable cause hearing, but Judge Michael Waterman ruled evidence sufficient, advancing 10 felonies. Common sense aligns with prosecution: volume and content scream intent, not accident.
Discovery Triggers Swift Investigation
On April 29, 2024, the student’s mother overheard a conversation and checked his phone. Shocked by texts, she alerted school principal James Redman. He reported to Hudson police May 2024. Officers arrested Bergmann, then 24, after seizing devices. She resigned May 13 from Hudson Public Schools.
District statement called it “deeply troubling,” vowing support for students. Family ski ties made betrayal sharper. Police summaries emphasized obsession and sexualization, fitting grooming definitions. American conservative values demand zero tolerance for authority abuse against children—facts here support maximum accountability.
Plea Deal and Emotional Court Climax
October 1, 2025, Bergmann pleaded guilty in St. Croix County Court to child enticement with sexual contact and two sexual misconduct counts. Tearing up, she agreed to facts; judge accepted deal dropping first-degree assault, capping sentence at 12 years versus 18.
Handcuffed and led away without bond, she awaited today’s sentencing, December 22, 2025. Prosecutors secured justice while streamlining; defense reduced exposure. Victim family gains closure, though trauma lingers.
Far-Reaching Consequences for Schools
Hudson district faces trust erosion, counseling costs, reputation hit. Bergmann loses teaching license, faces sex offender registry, possible civil suits. Student endures long-term emotional harm; community demands safeguards.
Case amplifies calls for phone monitoring, digital boundary policies post-COVID. Precedents like New Jersey text cases reinforce felony norms, but this volume stands out. Schools must prioritize child protection over convenience—common sense dictates vigilant oversight.
