Former Baltimore County teacher pleads guilty to sex offenses involving student

A former teacher at Woodlawn Middle School in Baltimore County pleaded guilty Monday to sex offenses involving a former student.

In Baltimore County Circuit Court, 34-year-old Sydnie Haywood pleaded guilty to nine counts of fourth-degree sex offenses.

Haywood, of Pikesville, Maryland, was a Spanish teacher at Woodlawn Middle School. The charges, which involved sexual abuse and exploitation, stemmed from contact she had with one of her students, who was between 14 and 16 years old at the time.

The victim reported the alleged abuse to police in February 2025, saying it involved their middle school Spanish teacher from March 2020 through February 2023.

According to charging documents, Haywood began sending the student private messages on Instagram. The two then began spending time together outside of school, and the victim told investigators there was "some form of sexual interaction" 90% of the time.

The victim said they would leave their home and walk around the corner to be picked up by Haywood. The two would then park somewhere in the neighborhood, where the victim said they engaged in sexual acts.

Charging documents state the encounters continued through 2022, when Haywood also had sexual encounters with the victim's boyfriend. The victim said Haywood and the victim took overnight trips together and exchanged nude photographs.

School investigation ended teacher's employment

At one point, Haywood's husband became suspicious about the situation and followed the two to an Airbnb before contacting police.

Baltimore County Public Schools also conducted an internal investigation and determined Haywood was "no longer eligible for employment," according to York.

Authorities said the sexual abuse occurred in both Baltimore City and Baltimore County.

Prosecutors did not seek additional jail time. Instead, they recommended that Circuit Judge Dennis Robinson Jr. sentence Haywood to five years of supervised probation and require her to register as a sex offender for 15 years.

Earlier this year, Haywood pleaded guilty in Baltimore City Circuit Court to one count of fourth-degree sex offense in a related case and was sentenced to no additional jail time. She had spent more than nine months incarcerated.

Haywood remains free on home detention while awaiting a sentencing hearing scheduled for Sept. 18.

Baltimore County Public Schools said Haywood taught at Woodlawn Middle School from August 2018 until June 2020.