A middle school teacher in Kentucky has been arrested and charged with grooming a minor, according to authorities. Sadie M. Flores, 25, of Mayfield, was taken into custody Friday afternoon and charged with grooming a minor, a Class D felony under a new Kentucky law that took effect on July 15.
The Graves County Sheriff’s Office stated that Flores, an employee at Graves County Middle School, is accused of engaging in an improper relationship with a student in the district. The allegations were initially reported to Graves County Schools, whose administrators then notified the sheriff's office, initiating a criminal investigation.
Detectives conducted an investigation that included seizing electronic records and conducting interviews. Flores was interviewed before her arrest around 3:30 p.m. on Friday. She was initially booked into the Graves County Restricted Custody Center before being transferred to a facility outside the county.
Sheriff Jon Hayden confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. Graves County Schools Superintendent Matt Madding stated that district leaders promptly contacted law enforcement upon 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 in a statement.
Madding added that the district has been informed that charges have been filed against the teacher as a result of the investigation. He noted that due to the ongoing nature of the investigation and personnel matter, the district is limited in what it can publicly disclose, but emphasized that 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.
The grooming charge is based on a Kentucky law enacted on July 15, which established a new felony offense for adults accused of cultivating inappropriate relationships with minors before sexual abuse occurs. Authorities have not yet released further details regarding the alleged relationship, the student's age, or whether additional charges might be filed as the investigation continues.