Missing High School Football Coach Travis Turner's Alleged Underage Victim Breaks Silence

[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]

An alleged victim has finally broken her silence in the disturbing and still-unfolding case of missing high school football coach Travis Turner, who has been charged with possession of child pornography and solicitation of a minor.

At a Wise County School Board meeting in rural southwest Virginia on Monday, a letter from the unnamed alleged victim was read aloud by local resident Stephen Murray. The girl has remained anonymous because she is a minor, but her voice filled the room anyway.

Related: How Cops Allegedly Busted High School Football Coach Travis Turner In Sick Chat Room

According to those in attendance, including the Kingsport Times News, the letter began by describing her experience in simple but shattering terms:

“I was a victim of exploitation by a teacher in this county.”

That single sentence alone says so much. And yet the letter went further, too — revealing the internal damage that often comes with abuse, especially when it involves someone in a position of authority and trust:

“I felt like I was the problem. I felt like I had embarrassed the school, damaged the reputation of the coaching staff and disrupted something I was supposed to protect instead of myself.”

Wow.

The alleged victim’s grandfather also addressed the board, clearly emotional but resolute:

“I’m proud of my granddaughter. … What she did probably saved some other children. … You as a board need to make some hard decisions.”

Others who spoke at the meeting raised serious concerns about how the situation was handled behind closed doors. One local resident alleged that the girl was pulled aside and questioned by Union High School’s principal without her parents present. And that same resident questioned why mandatory steps were not taken sooner:

“Police or Social Services were not notified as they should have by law. Travis Turner is either a fugitive or deceased. How long is he going to remain on the payroll?”

That question hung in the air. The school board declined to address Turner’s employment status, citing personnel issues, and did not respond to media inquiries from Us Weekly and others about whether he is still being paid. For many in the room, that silence spoke volumes.

Related: Cops Carry Out ‘Multiple’ Searches Of Fugitive Football Coach Travis Turner’s Home

After the meeting, Murray himself didn’t mince words when speaking to News Channel 11, calling the board’s behavior “shocking.” He added:

“I really couldn’t tell you other than it’s just a culture of we sweep things under the rug and hopefully we just bury things and no one talks about it.”

That is in part because the Turner case arrives uncomfortably close to another scandal. In 2023, former Union High School teacher Timothy Lee Meador was indicted on three felony charges and later pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent liberties with a child.

For Murray, the pattern was impossible to ignore — and his criticism focused sharply on Wise County superintendent Mike Goforth. Murray said:

“If you look at the pattern of behavior and the time frame this has all happened, [Goforth] has been at some form of leadership. At some point, somebody has to be able to take accountability and be like, ‘you know, I’ve been at the helm for this long and I can’t stop this abuse from happening so maybe I should step down.'”

The meeting marked the first opportunity for public comment since Turner disappeared back in November. He was last seen by family members walking into the wooded area behind his home carrying a rifle. Now, whether he is alive or not remains unknown. What is known is the courage of a young girl who spoke up anyway.

BTW, per Us, the board has promised to address the public comments at its next meeting in February. For many, that response feels overdue.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.

[Image via Leslie Caudill Turner/Facebook]

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