Teacher accused of inappropriate relationship with student reported missing

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Authorities are actively searching for a DeKalb County teacher accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student.

Channel 2's Michael Seiden has learned 28-year-old Zachary Meadors was last seen on Saturday. Family members filed a missing person report on Monday in Gwinnett County.

Meadors is a sixth-grade English teacher at Freedom Middle School in Stone Mountain. He’s been with the school for two years.

He was supposed to meet with district officials on Monday about the accusations, but he never showed up.

Before he disappeared, surveillance cameras recorded Meadors as he dropped off three letters and an iPad on the doorstep of his parents’ Lawrenceville home.

According to the missing person report, Meadors used the letters to issue apologies to an unknown person and his family.

“In this letter, Zachary was apologizing for all the chaos he caused,” a detective wrote in the report. “The second letter was written out to his family. (In) this letter, Zachary expressed how much he loved his family and he apologized for the image they may have of him now.”

The third letter addressed his finances. He asked for them to be split four ways between his parents, sister and two unknown people.

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Meadors’ father told police that his son was under investigation for having an inappropriate relationship with one of his students at Freedom Middle School. His father also told police that authorities had seized his son’s phone, according to the report.

Channel 2's Michael Seiden stopped by the father's home on Tuesday. A man, who did not identify himself, answered the door and said, "now is not a good time to talk."

The school said he’s on leave without pay. The district is sending a letter to parents on Tuesday to let them know about the investigation and situation.

Police say Meadors drives a white 2018 Honda Accord with Georgia license plate RLL5682.

Investigators said he was last seen wearing a tan T-shirt with a girl on the front printed in black and white, cream pants with a black stripe and black high-top shoes.

DeKalb County School District Superintendent and CEO Dr. R. Stephen Green sent Channel 2 Action News the following statement:

We are angered and disappointed to learn of the allegations facing one of our staff members at Freedom MS. The safety of our students is a top priority, and we are determined to protect them, under any circumstances, from harm. The community should know that the district will take whatever steps necessary to meet that standard. DCSD Public Safety officers are investigating the allegations in this case. Meanwhile, parents and staff can take comfort in knowing the employee has been removed from campus and directed not to have contact with our students. We are determined to find the truth and to correct any misconduct that is found to have occurred.

Cox Media Group