US Teacher Had Sex With Teen, Asked Students To Act As "Lookouts": Police

A high school teacher in Missouri, United States, has been arrested after she allegedly had sex with a teenager on school grounds and asked other students to act as "lookouts", as per a report in the Independent.

Hailey Clifton-Carmack, a mathematics teacher at Laquey High School in Pulaski County, was arrested on January 5 on charges of endangering the welfare of a child, statutory rape, sexual contact with a student and child molestation, the outlet said. The arrest was made in Texas and her bond has been set at $2,500,000. The police officers are working out her extradition back to Missouri.

A student alerted the cops about the relationship. The 16-year-old student involved in the relationship allegedly showed them pictures of scratches on his back, which he said were caused by his contact with Ms Clifton-Carmack. She was characterised by the student as being "too close with students." Court records showed that both the school principal and the superintendent of Laquey Schools were aware of the teacher's actions before them being brought to attention.

Further, the officers obtained a warrant to check the teacher's phone in December. Ms Clifton-Carmack "handed over her phone with no issues and did not have the normal behaviour of someone facing the same accusations," as per an officer and denied any wrongdoing. 

However, the officials said that Ms Clifton-Carmackr refused to provide them with her password on the advice of her lawyer when they wanted to check the contents of the device. After breaking through the electronic surveillance system, investigators found a chat between the student and Ms Clifton-Carmack discussing their relationship.

The school district said, "The employee has not been in the district since 8 December 2023 and we do not anticipate her return."

The 16-year-old's father knew of the relationship and told a witness that other students acted as "lookouts" while they engaged in sexual activities at the school. According to the Independent, the father said that the teacher had visited his family home just before she went to Texas to visit her family. He told the witness, "They are going to do it behind my back so I may as well let it happen." The father was arrested by the police and he pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree child endangerment.