School Staff Knew About the Relationship Between Runaway Teenager and Teacher

Seven months before the incident on Thursday, in which 15-year-old schoolgirl Megan Stammers ran away with her 30-year-old math teacher, other students had reported their relationship to members of the school board.

Friends of Stammers’ claim to have spoken to their teachers about the inappropriate relationship between Megan and Forrest. Jeremy Forrest is 15 years the girl's senior and an active member of the faculty. Their affair was reported after they were seen holding hands after a school trip in February.

Most of the students at Megan's school went on said trip to Los Angeles this February. Apparently, upon their return from the 5-day escape, the two were already holding hands. After displays of affection on the ten-hour flight revealed the two were very close, one of the girl’s friends reported the incident to members of the school staff, who didn't act on the information, however.

“She thought the behavior was inappropriate as he is so much older and her teacher. […] We are really angry the school did not do enough to protect Megan. And now no one knows where she is or if she’s coming back. […] I don’t know how it all started with Mr Forrest but to begin with she was really excited about it,” a friend said to Daily Mail reporters.

The 15-year-old friend of Megan's, who wished to remain anonymous, also stated she had witnessed signs of affection between the teacher and the student in the form of phone calls and text messages.

“They would always text each other. He would send her messages saying things like 'I miss you' and 'I can’t wait to hug you’,” she said.

Teacher Jeremy Forrest is suspected of taking minor Megan Stammers overseas. The couple was caught on camera boarding a ferry to Calais, France, on Thursday. The schoolgirl has not been seen since she left Dover last week.

The 30-year-old teacher had previously left the girl online messages like “[You] hit me like heroin.” To conceal their relationship, the pair had been meeting during after-school “tutoring” math sessions.

A cross-Channel search is currently being conducted to find Stammers and Forrest.