Every now and then, a story surfaces that hits a nerve. Not just because of what happened, but because of who allowed it to happen. Because of the people who were trusted. Because of the places that were supposed to be safe. That is the story unfolding right now in South Carolina, where a former kindergarten teacher and theatre director is facing horrifying allegations that stretch across school districts and community stages.
Nicole Ballew Callaham, 33, was arrested on July 10 after turning herself in to police. She is now facing sixteen felony charges in two counties. In Anderson County, she is charged with three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. In Greenville County, she faces eight additional counts of criminal sexual conduct and four counts of unlawful conduct toward a child. A third investigation is underway in Clemson, and more charges may follow.
The victim, Grant Strickland, was just 14 years old when the alleged abuse began in 2021. It continued for two years. But this story did not start in a school hallway or on a playground. It began in a theatre…