CCSD substitute teacher ‘infatuated’ with student dies by suicide

A former Clark County School District substitute teacher who was accused of handing inappropriate notes to a 14-year-old student and who admitted to being infatuated with her has died, the Clark County coroner’s office has confirmed.

Nicholas Bott, 44, who worked at Becker Middle School, shot himself on May 18, two days after he had been arrested on May 16, a coroner’s office spokesperson confirmed.

Bott had been booked into the Clark County Detention Center and had posted bail. He had been facing a felony charge of child abuse and a gross misdemeanor count of contact with a minor, Las Vegas Justice Court records show.

According to an arrest report, Bott wrote inappropriate notes to a student, shared his contact information with her, and had told her not to tell anyone. He also told school administrators that he had been “struck with how pretty the girl was” and “became infatuated” with her as he got to know her, according to the arrest report.

“The first time I saw you, my heart skipped a beat,” police allege Bott wrote. “It felt like you were my peer, like I was meeting someone in one of my college classes.”

But Bott also admitted his behavior had been wrong and said “if he was in the parents’ shoes, he would want to kill somebody,” the arrest report said.

School police announced Bott’s arrest on May 17 but did not announce his death after it occurred the following day. Court records contained no mention of the death at the time.

If you’re thinking about suicide, or are worried about a friend or loved one, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting the Lifeline network at 988. Live chat is available at 988lifeline.org.

Contact Brett Clarkson at bclarkson@reviewjournal.com.