Kentucky middle school teacher arrested under new anti-grooming law
Sadie M. Flores, a 25-year-old teacher at Graves County Middle School, was arrested Friday and charged with grooming a minor, a Class D felony under a Kentucky law that took effect July 15, the Graves County Sheriff’s Office said.
The sheriff’s office said Flores is accused of having an improper relationship with a minor student in the district. Graves County Schools officials reported the allegations to law enforcement, prompting a criminal investigation, the district said.
Detectives said the investigation included the seizure of electronic records, interviews and other investigative measures. Flores was interviewed Friday afternoon and taken into custody around 3:30 p.m., booked into the Graves County Restricted Custody Center and later transferred to an out-of-county detention facility, the sheriff’s office said.
Graves County Schools Superintendent Matt Madding said in a statement that district leaders immediately contacted law enforcement after learning of the allegations. “District administration was made aware of an allegation involving a teacher at Graves County Middle School. School officials immediately reported this information to the Graves County Sheriff’s Department for investigation,” Madding said. He added that the district is limited in what it can publicly discuss while the investigation and personnel matter remain ongoing and said student safety is the district’s top priority. “We take any allegation involving the safety of a child or the professional conduct of an employee extremely seriously and will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement and the appropriate authorities,” he said.
Sheriff Jon Hayden said the investigation remains ongoing. The grooming charge stems from a Kentucky law that took effect July 15 creating a new felony offense aimed at adults accused of cultivating inappropriate relationships with minors before sexual abuse occurs, authorities said. Authorities have not released additional details about the alleged relationship, the student’s age or whether additional charges could be filed as the investigation continues.
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