WINCHESTER — As officials continue to investigate allegations that three Frederick County school system employees had inappropriate sexual contact or relationships with students, a similar situation involving a former teacher with ties to Frederick County is being addressed in Hampshire County, West Virginia.

Thirty-nine-year-old Melissa Mae Didiana, who recently moved from Cross Junction to Martinsburg, West Virginia, was living in Frederick County and working as a special education teacher at Capon Bridge Middle School in Capon Bridge, West Virginia, when she was arrested on Dec. 9, 2021, and charged with sending explicit images of herself to two teenage students.

Didiana entered into a plea agreement with Hampshire County prosecutors on Jan. 11 in which she admitted guilt to a felony charge of distributing obscene material to a juvenile. In exchange for her plea, a second count of the same offense was dropped.

The date of her sentencing hearing could not be determined by The Winchester Star on Tuesday, but Didiana faces up to five years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

According to Hampshire County Circuit Court records, Didiana confessed to downloading the Snapchat social media app in 2021 and adding current and former students as contacts. When Hampshire County schools were on Thanksgiving break in 2021, Didiana sent four nude photos and a video of herself to two male students, ages 13 and 16. It is not known when or if the boys were students of Didiana.

The teacher posted a $40,000 bond and remained free while awaiting trial in Hampshire County Circuit Court. The Hampshire County School Board fired Didiana one week after her arrest.

Locally, the Frederick County Sheriff's Office and Commonwealth's Attorney's Office are investigating alleged incidents involving Frederick County Public Schools staff.

In January, James Wood High School substitute teacher and Frederick County resident Kyle Ray Hendrickson, 37, was indicted on two felony counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor while in a custodial role. Hendrickson, whose employment with Frederick County Public Schools was terminated following the alleged incident, is accused of touching an underage student on Nov. 1 to perform an act of fellatio, according to court documents.

Hendrickson, who posted a $10,000 release bond, had been scheduled to appear Tuesday in Frederick County Circuit Court for a pretrial hearing, but proceedings were pushed back to April 28. A trial date is expected to be set on that date.

On March 13, Frederick County Middle School administrators alerted staff and parents that an unidentified teacher allegedly had what officials called "an inappropriate relationship" with a student. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave as investigators look into the allegations.

Two days later, on March 15, Sherando High School sent out a notification that a staff member may have had inappropriate sexual contact with a student outside of school. That employee is currently on administrative leave as the case is investigated.

Following the rash of recent allegations, Frederick County Public Schools Superintendent George Hummer sent a letter to the parents of all county students last week stating that steps are being taken "to reiterate to all staff the importance of complying with our policies, particularly those that detail the high expectations we have for staff interactions with students."

In the letter, Hummer said he would be issuing a memo to all staff reiterating School Board policies regarding student/staff interactions and maintaining appropriate boundaries. Additionally, he will require all school system employees to complete additional training regarding student/staff boundaries, and principals and department heads have been told to review policies and expectations regarding student/staff boundaries with all employees at upcoming staff meetings.