Former Waterford Country School educator Nicole Souza was sentenced Monday to six months in prison, followed by five years of probation, for having an illegal sexual relationship with a 15-year-old boy who lived at the school and attended a life-skills program that she supervised.

Souza, 38, of Stonington, a mother of young children, had also provided alcohol to the teen, according to court documents and testimony.

She had pleaded guilty to risk of injury to a minor, a felony, and faced up to nine months in prison when she stood before New London Superior Court Judge Hillary B. Strackbein on Monday.

She had worked at the school for children with educational, emotional and behavioral issues for 13 years, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. She was fired prior to her arrest by state police in October 2018.

"To say it was a lapse in judgment is an understatement," said prosecutor Theresa Anne Ferryman.

Prior to being led away by judicial marshals, Souza said she agreed with Ferryman and apologized.

"She's admitted what she did, stepped up and done everything she could to minimize her sentence," said Souza's attorney, Carmine J. Giuliano. He provided letters to the court from clinicians who had evaluated Souza.

State police from Troop E began investigating after the victim, who was in the care of the Department of Children and Families, was taken by ambulance to The William W. Backus Hospital on June 14, 2018, with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.202 percent.

The woman who had called the ambulance after the boy became ill from drinking reported she also had seen "sexual behavior" between him and Souza at her Griswold home that afternoon. The woman said Souza apologized to her for her involvement with the boy, saying she was "having a tough time at home and that she took things too far."

Souza had picked up the boy in Norwich, went swimming with him at Glasgo Pond in Griswold and then to a home in Griswold, where they drank screwdrivers and Fireball whiskey, according to the affidavit.

Souza told state police that she befriended the boy when he was in her program at the school because they had a lot in common, such as music, movies and past relationships. When he left the program, she gave him her cellphone number in case he needed rides.

She admitted she had purchased alcohol for him and eventually stated she had become involved with him sexually, according to the state.

In his interview with police, the boy said he had sex with Souza twice at her Stonington home and that she had bought him condoms. He said Souza told him it would be better if he did not mention that they had sex, to protect her job and her two children.

Judge Strackbein agreed to the minimum sentence but said a message has to go out that parents shouldn't have to worry about things like this happening when they send their children to school.

"This sends a message that if a teacher engages in this type of behavior, there will be incarceration," the judge said.

k.florin@theday.com