Former Middle School Art Teacher Facing Additional Charges In Student Sexual Assault Case

February 25, 2023

A now former Beulah Middle School art teacher is facing additional charges after his arrest in early February on child sex charges involving a student.

Winston Hezekiah Foster, 61, was originally charged with sexual assault, lewd or lascivious behavior on a victim age 12 to 16, and a sexual offense against a student by an authority figure. He was released on a $60,000 bond shortly after his February 2 arrest.

Foster was arrested Friday afternoon on two new counts of sexual battery on a victim age 16 or 17. He was released on a $40,000 bond 14 minutes after being booked into the Escambia County Jail. The new charges, according to the State Attorney’s Office, are related to the original case.

In December, the State Attorney’s Office received a complaint from the victim who alleged Foster, her former middle school art teacher, had a sexual relationship with her from October of 2017 when she was 15-years old until September 2019 when she was 17-years old. She said Foster was her art teacher for sixth, seventh and eighth grade while she attended Woodham Middle School.

She told investigators that it was not uncommon for art students to come visit Foster before school. She said Foster “started to be more forward with her and make comments that she thought were ‘weird’ for him to say,” according to an arrest warrant, before inviting her to do things outside of school. She said he invited her for sushi, and they went back to his house to eat. She said he kissed her, but that was it. In 2017, he allegedly took her to see a movie in about October 2017 before taking her to his house and having sex, the warrant obtained by NorthEscambia.com states.

“During the summer months, when Foster was off and his wife was at work, he would pick her up from her home and take her back to his house,” according to the warrant. The victim also alleged they had sex in a supply closet in his classroom at Woodham Middle School in 2017 and then at Beulah Middle School in 2018 and 2019. She also stated they had “virtual sex” through an app while Foster was in Houston visiting his very ill daughter.

According to district documents, Foster was  an art teacher at Beulah Middle School and previously at Woodham Middle School.

According to Escambia County Public Schools, Foster was no longer an employee as of February 2.

Foster’s mugshot was not made available  by the Escambia County Jail, which cited a Florida statute (F.S.S 119.071) that typically protects law enforcement and first responder mugshots and those of their families from public release. The jail did not cite the specific exemption claimed by Foster. Foster is pictured above from his arrest warrant (left) and after winning an art educator award while he was at Beulah Middle School.

Comments

3 Responses to “Former Middle School Art Teacher Facing Additional Charges In Student Sexual Assault Case”

  1. DISGUSTED on February 28th, 2023 5:36 pm

    He should NOT have been released on BOND and within 14 minutes of being booked?! If he’s done this to her, he’s done it to others because he got away with it for so long. I’m so proud of her for coming forward and if he victimized anyone else, I hope they come forward also. He deserves jail time, but in our county and judges, I doubt he’ll receive any. It seems our local judicial system is too lax. BOOK HIM and KEEP HIM behind bars! I hope he’s living a miserable life. I’m sorry for his family.

  2. Sickened! on February 27th, 2023 11:50 am

    Anyone, I mean ANYONE, who is this much older than a teenager and seems to be spending a lot of time with them, especially alone, should be investigated. I don’t care who they are or how great they are. It is NOT NORMAL for an older man to want to be with younger girl or boy privately or outside of school or their parent’s supervision. And any parent who allows this knowingly should be held just as accountable as well as any school administration and staff. There are always signs if folks would just wake up and see them.

  3. Bill T on February 27th, 2023 9:11 am

    Looks like to me if convicted he’s gonna spend a long time in prison so ya got to ask was it worth it knowing you are going to prison when caught !!! Also why did it take so long for the victim to come forward with this incident!!! I’m sure there’s a lot of unseen things behind the curtain but either way this one if convicted will do a lot of time in prison!!!!!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News