As he is publicly recognized himself in interviews with reporters to boost consciousness, TooFab is figuring out the teenager right here as effectively. Final week, Grant Strickland, 18, spoke with press following a bond listening to for Nicole Ballew Collaham, a 33-year-old trainer dealing with a number of costs from two totally different jurisdictions.

In line with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Workplace, she was arrested after “a protracted and inappropriate relationship” with the teenager, following an investigation launched again in Could. Per authorities, the investigation “uncovered proof that the misconduct started in 2021 and continued for a minimum of two years with the then teenage boy.”

The Sheriff charged her with Legal Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. The Greenville Police Division additionally, individually, charged her with Legal Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Illegal Conduct In the direction of a Youngster.

“I am right here to struggle and I am not going to again down,” Strickland mentioned to WYFF. “I believe extra consciousness must be dropped at issues like this and simply because I am a person does not imply it ought to be shunned away. I used to be a toddler. I wasn’t a person. I used to be a boy.”

In line with the teenager’s mom, Allison Strickland, her son had a love of theater and met Callaham when she was working as a director of musical theater on a manufacturing of Legally Blonde on the Challenge Problem Playhouse. Callaham additionally reportedly labored as a kindergarten trainer at Homeland Park Major Faculty from 2017 till resigning on Could 21, 2025; Strickland was not considered one of her college students there.

“Callaham, an Anderson County faculty trainer on the time, engaged in grooming habits towards the boy throughout his early teenage years,” mentioned the Anderson County Sheriff. “The connection intensified as she reportedly signed the scholar out of faculty, transported him to practices, and served as a supervisor for after-school actions.”

“These repeated interactions led to a protracted sample of abuse, which was corroborated by search warrants and ongoing cooperation with the sufferer’s household,” the Sheriff’s assertion continued. “In line with investigators, the sufferer made the choice to return ahead after turning 18, following time spent processing the expertise and trauma related to the abuse.”

Callaham surrendered herself to authorities on Thursday morning; she has since posted $40,000 bond and left jail in Anderson County, earlier than she was taken to Greenville County for a separate bond listening to there this morning.

Per Courtroom TV, a press release from the sufferer — who mentioned he was “lonely and depressed” when he first met Callaham — was learn by an advocate at Monday’s listening to.

“She noticed I used to be weak and used that to her benefit,” learn the letter, which additionally accuses Callaham of “calling him slurs and suggesting he kill himself,” per Courtroom TV. “What began as consideration throughout a faculty play rapidly became manipulation, emotional abuse and trauma that I by no means ought to have needed to carry.”

Whereas prosecutors requested for Callaham to be held with out bail, her attorneys confirmed she’s eight to 9 weeks pregnant and is due for prenatal appointments. She was granted bond and, as a part of the situations, Callaham should keep on home arrest at residence along with her fiancé and may haven’t any contact with the sufferer.

“It is made me come to understand that I needed to develop up very, very quick and get one an entire different maturity stage I wasn’t prepared for,” Strickland advised press final week, saying coming ahead with the allegations has felt “like a weight lifted off of me.”

He advised reporters he “had forgotten” a lot of the particulars of what allegedly occurred, saying he began to recollect extra after he had “lastly spoken up about it.”

“I might like to carry extra consciousness to point out this occurs and it occurs lots. It isn’t simply to girls, it is males too,” he continued. “It occurs to youngsters and it is gotta cease. I might by no means need somebody to undergo what I went via as a result of I do not suppose most individuals could be sturdy sufficient to outlive it, as a result of I virtually did not.”

He additionally urged others to not “preserve quiet due to another person, or if another person tells you to,” including, “Shield your peace, as a result of ultimately, that is what’s going to matter.”

In Anderson County Courtroom, Callaham’s lawyer reportedly mentioned they “sit up for a day in court docket.”

The Clemson Metropolis Police Division can also be allegedly investigating the case.