Agua Dulce teacher arrested for child grooming, sexual assault

An Agua Dulce ISD teacher was arrested Tuesday for child grooming and sexual assault of a child.

According to the Jim Wells County Sheriff's Office jail roster, Jaden Charles, 24, was still in custody Thursday after a Tuesday arrest. The jail roster lists four felony offenses, including two counts of child grooming and two counts of aggravated assault of a child. The arresting agency was Agua Dulce Marshal's Office, according to the roster. A total bond of $400,000 was set.

Charles is listed as a secondary science teacher in the Agua Dulce ISD online faculty and staff directory. An agenda from a February Agua Dulce ISD Board of Trustees meeting shows that Charles was a member of the secondary high school's campus education improvement committee tasked with the 2023-24 secondary campus improvement plan.

Alice Police Department criminal investigation division sergeant Juan Martinez said the investigation into Charles began with a runaway case. A parent told Alice police that their child had snuck out, potentially with a teacher.

In speaking with the community, police heard rumors that Charles was having inappropriate relationships with students. After speaking with potential victims and viewing surveillance video, Alice police asked for an arrest warrant for charges of child grooming, Martinez said.

Alice police worked with the marshal's office in Agua Dulce, which sought additional charges.

Martinez said that Alice police had identified three victims, but he could not provide information about the sexual assault charges or other potential victims identified by the marshal's office in Agua Dulce.

The case is still under investigation.

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Agua Dulce teacher arrested for child grooming, sexual assault