WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — A teacher’s aide at Washington Court House City Schools has been placed on paid leave following allegations of sexual misconduct with a 13-year-old student. The alleged misconduct began two years ago and came to light only recently after the boy’s parents discovered inappropriate messages from the aide on their son’s cell phone.
The boy, who is now 15, revealed to his parents that the misconduct happened two years ago, according to police reports from the Washington Court House Police Department. The family immediately reported the incident to authorities over the summer when they learned of it, records show. Evidence, including the messages, has been taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation.
Because the employee has not been charged and authorities believe the incident to be isolated, the Guardian is not naming the aide.
The Guardian, which interviewed the parents, is refraining from naming them to protect the identity of the alleged sexual assault victim. They confirmed that they approached the police months ago about the allegations. Rumors have only recently started circulating in the community regarding the incident.
Both the police and school district officials corroborated the family’s timeline. Dr. Tom Bailey, district superintendent, emphasized that the aide’s alleged actions are believed to be an isolated incident and, if substantiated, are likely a result of personal family ties rather than her role within the district.
Despite the absence of any indication that other students were involved, the aide will remain on paid leave during the police investigation. The parents shared with the Guardian that their son is currently undergoing therapy and appealed for privacy.
The Washington Court House Police Department continues its probe into the allegations.