Alissa McCommon, a Tennessee teacher facing charges of raping a 12-year-old boy, has been accused of contacting the victim via phone after her release on bond. Her criminal defense attorney argues that there is limited proof to support this claim. In a separate incident, a former Connecticut high school employee, Alyson Cranick, was arrested for engaging in alleged sex acts with an 11-year-old boy. The encounters reportedly took place in her car on multiple occasions after the child sneaked out of his house late at night in 2022.
According to a warrant obtained by Law&Crime, Cranick met up with the boy at least 14 times and even made him a bracelet with the acronym “BFFLWB” which stood for “Best Friends for Life With Benefits.” However, she allegedly instructed the boy to tell anyone who asked that it stood for “Best Friends Forever for Life We’re Better.” The warrant also claims that Cranick lured the boy out of his home multiple times, often as late as 2 a.m. The encounters left the child exhausted, and Cranick allegedly provided him with soda and energy drinks to keep him awake.
The boy eventually confided in a family member about his interactions with Cranick on messaging platforms like Discord, iMessage, and Snapchat. The relative reported the alleged sexual abuse to the police on September 7. During a forensic interview, the boy described how Cranick had forced him to have sex with her and sexually assaulted him.
Police reviewed over 400 Discord messages that supported the boy’s account, including instances where Cranick suggested they shower together. In her defense, Cranick claimed that she simply wanted to comfort him because he was scared and downplayed any inappropriate communication as unintentionally flirtatious. However, police say that she tried to emotionally manipulate the child into spending time with her against his will.
Cranick, who was employed as an administrative assistant at E.O. Smith High School in Mansfield, Connecticut, turned herself in and has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and three counts of risk of injury to a child. She was later fired from her position at the school. Authorities believe that further charges may be added.
In a statement, E.O. Smith High School principal Louis DeLoreto confirmed that Cranick had undergone the required background checks and reference checks prior to her hiring in February 2023. However, once the outcome of the Department of Children and Families investigation was known, Cranick’s employment was terminated.
As the legal proceedings continue, the case highlights the importance of safeguarding children and the need for thorough background checks when hiring individuals who will be working closely with them.
