A substitute teacher who engaged in sexual activity with an 11-year-old student during overnight stays at her home has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by a judge in Illinois. Alley Bardfield, 34, entered a plea deal and admitted to felony predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.
Court documents reveal that the sixth-grade victim’s mother discovered $700 in CashApp payments from Bardfield after noticing behavioral changes in her son following a March 2024 sleepover at the teacher’s residence. The boy disclosed having unprotected sex with Bardfield during the visit. Initially accused of grooming, Bardfield claimed the child initiated the relationship, alleging he made sexual advances.
Bardfield, who taught for Decatur Public Schools, exchanged explicit messages and photos with the student via Snapchat and sent hundreds of dollars through CashApp over several months. The court ruled probation inappropriate given the severity of her crimes.
The case has sparked public outrage over the circumstances allowing an 11-year-old to stay overnight at a teacher’s home, raising questions about parental oversight and institutional safeguards.
