A teacher has been arrested and accused of sleeping with her 16-year-old student after a classmate showed photos of the teenager's scratches.
Hailey Nichelle Clifton-Carmack, 26, was arrested on Friday, January 5, over her alleged relationship with the unnamed student. She fled but was apprehended around 800 miles away from where the alleged sex acts occurred.
The teenage boy's father has also been charged with endangering the welfare of a child after it was claimed he was aware of the relationship between his son and the teacher.
Documents acquired from the court suggest the pair had used students as “lookouts” to keep watch on passing people while the pair had sex at school.
Police found text messages relating to the alleged relationship in texts between the teacher and 16-year-old boy, weeks after they first acquired the phone on December 8.
Clifton-Carmack is believed to have recently split from her husband, Chase.
A student presented Pulaski County Sheriff's Department with evidence and photographs of the alleged relationship between the teacher and student. An image of scratch marks on the student is believed to have been shown to investigating officers, the Daily Mail reported.
The student is believed to have come forward about the relationship and said the teacher is "too friendly with students and sometimes will dress inappropriately at school."
Clifton-Carmack was arrested on Friday after fleeing Missouri for Texas, and has since been charged with sexual contact with a student, statutory rape in the second degree, endangering the welfare of a child, and child molestation.
Court documents said the father "continued to cover for them and allowed the relationship to continue" and "even allowed Hailey to come over to his residence and see the victim while he was present".
The father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and was told to have no contact with Clifton-Carmack.
Laquey R-5 School District Superintendent Kent Stoumbaugh said: "We have been made aware of criminal charges being filed against an employee for alleged misconduct. We understand that charges are not the same as a conviction and the employee is to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
"We must stress, however, that the alleged misconduct is inexcusable and does not meet the professional standards for district employees. The district took immediate action once we were aware of this situation. An investigation is ongoing. The employee has not been in the district since December 8, 2023, and we do not anticipate her return."
