MADISON, Wis. — A Madison school staffer is charged with taking a nude photo of an autistic second-grader, according to a criminal complaint.
Police said Tatianna Jefferson, 29, shared a nude live photo, a photo that is a couple seconds long, of the elementary school student to her boyfriend. The “camera flipped” to Jefferson at the end. She is charged with capture an intimate representation without consent and distribute an intimate representation without consent.
Madison police became aware of a “naked photo of a student and possibly staff” on Jan. 27.
Jefferson would see the child at school and assist him at times in her role as family liaison. The student had full-time staff due to their disability, but that was not Jefferson’s role.
Another student, a fourth grader, became aware of the photo when she saw it on her step-sister’s phone. It was believed that the photo was taken last October.
Jefferson sent the photo to her incarcerated boyfriend who then sent it to the adult step-sister after she asked him for a picture of his genitalia. Police visited the school on Jan. 30 and confirmed that the location of the photo was in a room the child would use for 30 minutes at a time as a “calming space.”
Officers made contact with Jefferson on Feb. 2 and asked if she recognized it. She said, “I don’t recall,” and then paused.
An officer asked Jefferson what her intent was when she took the photo, to which she responded, “It was not malicious. It was not intent at all. I’m not a sexual person. I have kids myself. There was no intent.”
Jefferson faces charges of capturing an intimate representation and possessing, distributing, or exhibiting an intimate representation. She was charged with neglecting a child, and a child younger than six years or with a disability, but that charge was dropped Monday.
Online records show Jefferson signed her signature bond on Monday and is scheduled to appear in court on May 11.
The Madison Metropolitan School District confirmed to Channel3000.com that Jefferson was placed on leave and said the following:
“The Madison Metropolitan School District is aware of the criminal charges brought today against an employee of Thoreau Elementary School. That employee is presently on unpaid leave from their position and has no contact with any MMSD students.
Because this is an active police matter, and due to privacy laws, we are unable to comment further.”
COPYRIGHT 2026 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.