A 26-year-old Missouri teacher is accused of raping a teenage student while other classmates acted as “lookouts,” according to authorities.
Hailey Clifton-Carmack, a math teacher at Laquey High School in Pulaski County, was arrested in Texas on Friday, Jan. 5, after she’s accused of fleeing Missouri, according to a news release from the Garden Ridge Police Department. She faces multiple charges, including second-degree statutory rape and sexual contact with a student, and awaits extradition to Missouri with a $250,000 bond.
The 16-year-old victim’s father knew of the relationship and said students would act as “lookouts” while the teacher and student engaged in sex acts during the school day, a witness revealed to police.
McClatchy News is not identifying the suspect to protect the identity of the victim.
The student’s father was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 3, after telling police Clifton-Carmack had been at his home before she fled to Texas, court documents show. He was arraigned on Monday, Jan. 8, and pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree child endangerment.
Court documents show Clifton-Carmack had discussed her personal life with students, including details of her divorce, and had been in trouble with school administration for being “too close with students.”
“The employee has not been in the district since Dec. 8, 2023, and we do not anticipate her return,” the Laquey School District told KMIZ in a statement.
Police were notified by Laquey High School’s resource officer on Dec. 7 after a student reported a student-teacher sexual relationship, according to court documents. Police seized the teacher’s phone the following day when she also denied all accusations.
Messages recovered from the phone showed Clifton-Carmack and the victim discussing their relationship, according to court documents.
Laquey is nearly 800 miles northeast of Garden Ridge.
This story was originally published January 09, 2024 12:59 PM.
