Haley Krista Radabaugh, an art teacher at Barbara Bush Middle School in Texas, was arrested on a child grooming charge
Credit: Denton County Jail
NEED TO KNOW
- Texas teacher Haley Krista Radabaugh was arrested on a child grooming charge after allegedly sending sexually suggestive messages to multiple middle school students
- The Barbara Bush Middle School art teacher, 28, is accused of having inappropriate conversations with at least three students, including allegedly sending a shower photo
- Radabaugh was arrested in Denton, Texas, on May 15 and later released on a $25,000 bond
A Texas middle school teacher was arrested on a child grooming charge after she was accused of messaging multiple students in a sexual manner.
The Denton Police Department (DPD) arrested Haley Krista Radabaugh, an art teacher at Barbara Bush Middle School, after the Irving Police Department issued an arrest warrant, a DPD spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE. She has been charged with child grooming, a third-degree felony, jail records show.
The arrest comes after multiple students at the middle school in Irving came forward with disturbing allegations involving the 28-year-old Denton resident, according to the arrest warrant obtained by NBC 5 DFW.
Students informed an official at the school that the art teacher “was known to be having inappropriate sexual conversations with at least three middle school students and providing drugs to students,” NBC 5 DFW reported, citing the warrant issued by Irving police.
Credit: Google Maps
The warrant also offers a glimpse into the sexually suggestive messages that Radabaugh allegedly sent to the minors, including seemingly asking a 14-year-old boy to send her an inappropriate picture.
“I'll tell you what. You send me a photo of you, and I'll send you one of me,” she allegedly told the male student in a May 13 Instagram message, according to the warrant. She also allegedly told the same student, “There was a kid I crushed on hard before you.”
Police documents also allege that Radabaugh sent “flirtatious kiss emojis” and used the word “babe” to refer to one of the students she messaged, NBC 5 DFW reported.
The middle school teacher also allegedly sent a student an image of “what appears to be herself getting out of the shower,” the outlet reported, citing investigators. Police added that the photo does not depict Radabaugh naked, but it shows her face and body from "mid-chest up,” including her bare shoulders.
The warrant obtained by NBC 5 DFW also states that the alleged victim of Radabaugh “described himself as being disgusted and losing sleep after [she] messaged him.”
Credit: Denton County Jail
The Irving Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Saturday, May 23. PEOPLE has also reached out to a Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District spokesperson for comment.
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A district spokesperson did confirm to NBC 5 DFW that Radabaugh is currently under investigation and stated, “While we are limited on what we can disclose, we are deeply distressed and disheartened by these incidents.” The spokesperson also described the Denton resident as a “former” employee of the district.
Radabaugh was transported to Denton County Jail “without incident,” a DPD spokesperson told PEOPLE. She was booked into jail on May 15 on a child grooming charge. She has since been released after posting a $25,000 bond, jail records show.
It is not immediately clear whether she has obtained legal representation.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
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