Gabriela Cartaya-Neufeld is a teacher at South Mecklenburg High School.
Prompted by her son’s absence from rugby practice, an American mother took the initiative to monitor his location through the controversial app, Life360. This family social networking app, introduced in 2008, serves as a location-based service, allowing friends and family to share their whereabouts. Following the app’s notification, the mother discovered her son’s presence at Park Road Park.
Alarmed by this revelation, the mother personally visited the park. Allegedly, she witnessed a compromising situation involving her 18-year-old son and the 26-year-old South Mecklenburg High School teacher Gabriela Cartaya-Neufeld inside a car. Taking immediate action, the concerned mother documented the scene by capturing photos of the vehicle and its license plate. Subsequently, she contacted the authorities to report the incident. This sequence of events unfolded against the backdrop of the Thanksgiving holiday and has since led to legal proceedings against Cartaya-Neufeld related to the inappropriate relationship with the student.
According to The New York Post, the parent, police said, had heard rumors of her son’s illicit relationship previously and was already on high alert before the telltale missed practice. Cartaya-Neufeld, a science teacher, met with the teen in her car, inside his mother’s home, and at her own residence, prosecutors said.
Rumors of the illicit union had also been flying around the school for months prior to the arrest, prompting administrators to question both the teen and his teacher, the district attorney said at Cartaya-Neufeld’s arraignment. The educator was hit with five counts of felony sexual activity with a student by a teacher. She was initially taken to the Mecklenburg County jail late last month but has since made bail.
As of the latest available information, Life360 boasts approximately 50 million active monthly users. The family social networking app, designed for location-sharing among friends and family, has become widely adopted for its tracking capabilities. Moreover, Life360 was anticipated to generate earnings of $300 million in the current year, highlighting its significant market presence and financial success.
