Monday, December 15, 2014

Probable cause affidavit: Teacher-student sex began with Twitter messages

A former Ash Grove High School history teacher had sex with a 16-year-old student in a library closet and at his home, according to a probable cause affidavit filed today in Greene County Circuit Court.

Nathan Herrington, 34, has been charged with statutory sodomy and sexual contact with a student on school property.

The probable cause statement is printed below:

On October 25, 2014, Ash Grove Police Officer Brian Swearingin took a report from the Ash Grove School District, a public school located in Greene County, concerning William Nathan Herrington, a high school teacher who was having sexual contact and relations with a juvenile student.

Dr. Kyle Collins, superintendent of the Ash Grove School District said he received information from a pareant of a 16-year-old female student identified as K.J. This parent had located a handwritten note and several e-mail messages that were of a sexual nature.


The messages were received on K. J.'s Twitter account and showed they were sent from a Twitter account of Nate Herrington and displayed a photo of Ash Grove teacher Nathan Herrington. The parent was familar with Nate (Nathan) Herrington and that he was a teacher at Ash Grove High School. Several of the messages indicated that sexual contact had occurred between Herrington and K. J.

On October 30, 2014, the affiant observed an interview of K. J. conducted at the Child Advocacy Center.

During the interview, K. J. told the interviewer that history teacher Nathan Herrington was taking advantage of her and described it was "sexual abuse."

K. J.  said Herrington began to follow her Twitter account on October 1, 2014 and began sending messages of a sexual nature. K. J. said Herrington wouldn't stop sending the messages. K. J. explained how Herrington made her feel guilty and she would go along with it because she was terrified and scared of how he would react if she didn't.

Early during the month of October, Herrington began to touch the victim on the butt with his hand when the victim would leave his classroom.

Herrington would send the victim messages that said "closet time," soliciting K. J.'s assistance in the library storage closet. Once inside the closet, Herrington would begin to hug the victim and place his hands on the victim's arms, waist, butt, and rub his arm against the victim's "boob." K. J. said she had to meet with Nathan Herrington in the high school library closet  at least 10 times.

K. J. reported that on the evening of October 9, 2014, at the Herrington residence, Herrington pushed her backwards onto the couch by her shoulders, laid on top of her, and began to kiss her very forcibly.

(Note: In the next couple of paragraphs, the probable cause affidavit describes in detail how Herrington kissed K. J. all over her body, then removed his clothing and told her to kiss him all over, concluding with oral sex.)

K. J. said Herrington knew she was scared enough not to tell anyone and said she was "putty in his hands."

Herrington sent messages to the victim, inquiring if the victim's parents monitored the victim's phone, acknowledging he knew the victim was a minor and that he could go to jail for these activities.

I believe that the defendant will not appear in court in response to a criminal summons because:

Within 24 hours of Herrington becoming aware of his allegations, Herrington was seen leaving his residence as a passenger in his father's truck. Herrington's father is a resident of the state in Texas. His father has been observed moving household items and furniture from the residence at 207 N. Calhoun, which has now been posted for rent. According to the property owner, the residence has been rented and will be vacated on December 2. Herrington has a current United States passport.

Herrington is no longer employed by the Ash Grove School District.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Do you know what has happened in this case or how it has been resolved?