ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said that a former teacher was arrested for having an inappropriate relationship with a teenage boy.
Authorities said that the relationship between 33-year-old Nicole Ballew Callaham and a male teenage student, whose identity has not been released, began in 2021 and continued for at least two years. The Greenville City Police confirmed the student was 14 at the time the relationship began.
Callaham was a teacher at Homeland Park Primary School from 2017 until she resigned in May 2025, according to a spokesperson from Anderson School District 5.
Deputies stated that Callaham would sign the student out of school, transport him to practices, and supervise after-school activities. Deputies also said that the relationship grew increasingly abusive.
According to the alleged victim’s mother, the family first met Callaham at an audition for Legally Blond at Project Challenge Playhouse, where she was a director of musical theater productions.
The victim’s mother released a statement at the hearing.
“We truly thought she believed in his talent and was hoping him grow and build his confidence. We trusted her completely with our son, as she seemed to be a wonderful mentor to our son and other young actors and actresses by investing in them.”
Looking back, it sickens me knowing Nikki manipulated our son and our family. She was waiting on this opportunity, and she found the perfect victim and family to prey on perfect meaning. She saw our son’s innocence and that he was very easily manipulated and drawn into her perfect meaning. She saw a family who had a lot of love and kindness to share with those who needed it.”
Her son, Grant Strickland, came forward about the relationship after he turned 18.
He spoke with 7News after the bond hearing.
“It’s a traumatic event. I’m here to fight and I’m not going to back down,” Strickland said. “I think more awareness needs to be brought to things like this. Just because I’m a man doesn’t mean that it should be turned away, because I was a child. I wasn’t a man, I was a boy.”
Callaham was charged with three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
In addition, the Greenville City Police Department has also brought forward similar charges against Callaham, as the student attended school in Greenville.
Callaham was charged by the Greenville City Police Department with eight counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor, and four counts of unlawful conduct towards a child.
The Clemson City Police Department is also investigating the case.
Authorities said Callaham has resigned from her position, and has voluntarily surrendered herself to the Anderson County Detention Center.
Callaham was issued a $40,000 bond for her charges in Anderson County. If that bond is met, she will be transported to Greenville for a separate bond hearing.
Greenville arrest
On Friday, Callaham was arrested and charged by the Greenville Police Department.
According to warrants, Callaham was charged with four counts of unlawfully placing a child at risk for providing alcohol to the victim, and eight counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor.
Her bond hearing is scheduled for Monday at 10 a.m.
