School secretary arrested on Valentine's Day after husband caught her in bed with student
A high school secretary was arrested on Valentine's Day after her husband caught her in bed with an 18-year-old student.
According to the Union City Police Department, Alicia Hughes' husband had walked in on the pair, which authorities say led to a notification of an 'alleged battery'.
In a Facebook statement explaining what allegedly happened, the force wrote: "Law enforcement was initially notified of an alleged battery that occurred overnight.
"During the course of the investigation, officers learned that Hughes’ husband had discovered her with an 18-year-old student of Randolph Eastern School Corporation and confronted the individuals.
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"It is alleged that Hughes was battered during that altercation. The alleged battery is being investigated by the Randolph County Sheriff's Department."
It is unclear whether Hughes' husband is facing charges for the alleged battery.
However, as the investigation progressed, Union City Police Department said that investigators allegedly discovered that Hughes 'had also engaged in a sexual relationship with a separate high school student who was 17 years old at the time'.
While being quizzed by a police officer about the aforementioned incident with the 18-year-old, the 31-year-old, from Indiana, US, said that she had sex with him three times, though stressed it was 'not before he was 18'.
Video of her interrogation obtained by Law&Crime shows how she claimed that 'the physical thing had been going on since the end of January', adding: "This is the third time that I’ve been with him...not before he was 18."
Hughes told the cop that her behaviour was not 'justified', but claimed that she had been seeking 'attention' as a result of alleged marital issues.
"As stupid as that sounds," she said. "And that’s where I’m at. And now I’m here."
The investigator then goes on to ask the mum if she has ever 'had sex with any other students', and she repeatedly denies this.
According to police affidavits obtained by Law&Crime, the 17-year-old student claimed that he and Hughes had slept together five times, including an alleged interaction at a Dollar General store.
"I have met him, but I never slept with him," Hughes is heard saying. "I hung out with him...not for very long."
She also admitted to allegedly sending him 'pictures', but continuously denied ever having sex with him.
When asked 'how did it all start', she responded, "I think I'll need my lawyer at this point."
Hughes was subsequently arrested in the interview room on suspicion of five counts of child seduction in relation to allegations from the 17-year-old. She is facing up to six years behind bars, as well as a $10,000 fine for each charge.
Following her arrest, she was transported to the Randolph County Jail on a $25,000 cash bond.
According to The New York Post, her initial hearing for 20 February was cancelled; however, the court found probable cause for her charges and set her hearing for 15 April, with a pre-trial conference scheduled for 16 April and a jury trial set for 15 June.
The superintendent of the Randolph Eastern School Corporation, Neal Adams, said the secretary has 'been removed from all duties with students pending the outcome of the legal process'.
Police praised the school for 'its swift cooperation, transparency, and commitment to protecting the students of the district' amid the ongoing investigation.
Olivia Burke