42-year-old former teacher marries 17-year-old student

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WBTV/WECT) – A former teacher from Brunswick County charged with having sex with a student won't face trial after marrying the victim.

Leah Shipman, 42, was charged in January 2010 with two counts of sexual acts by a teacher, two counts of indecent liberties with a child and one count of statutory rape.

Authorities say the victim was 15 years old at the time of the incidents, some of which date back to April 2009.

Court records show Shipman divorced her husband of 19 years in 2012, and married 17-year-old student Johnnie Ison just six days later. The student's mother signed documents allowing him to marry while a minor.

The marriage prevents prosecutors from having Ison to testify against Shipman.

Copyright 2013 WBTV. All rights reserved. WECT contributed to this report.