A teacher at a public charter school in Louisiana has been charged with raping a 10-year-old boy, deputies said.
Deidre R. Smith, 34, was arrested Tuesday on charges of first-degree rape and felony indecent behavior with a juvenile after investigators from the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office got a tip on April 30 from an administrator at Lake Charles Charter Academy regarding a teacher at the school.
The complaint indicated that an educator was “possibly having an inappropriate relationship” with one of her students. A subsequent investigation revealed that Smith had ongoing physical contact with the boy, including sex, since the end of last year, deputies said Wednesday.
The case remains under investigation and more charges are likely. Smith, who has been released after posting $50,000 bond, declined to comment when reached early Thursday by The Post.
A spokesperson for the school said in a statement that the alleged incident involved only one student.
“While we are not at liberty to discuss personnel issues, please be aware that we do not tolerate any behavior that compromises our safety standards and we are fully cooperating with law enforcement to assure a thorough investigation is completed,” the statement read. “We believe this was an isolated incident and no other students were involved.”
The school’s president, meanwhile, said in a statement Tuesday that the allegation had not yet been verified.
“If verified that teacher will be subject to termination,” Judge Ulysses Gene Thibodeaux said in a statement to KPLC. “The safety and security of our students and staff are our top priority.”
The alleged incident took place off campus, Thibodeaux said.
“Once the allegation was reported, the school promptly took steps to contact authorities who are now conducting the investigation,” Thibodeaux’s statement continued. “The investigation is incomplete and ongoing.”