Married Trainer Accused of Sexually Abusing Teen in Her Automobile and Planning to Elope with Her: Prosecutors

Authorities allege James Donald Hawkins II, 38, made advances on the teenager after she was distressed in school

A 38-year-old Mississippi highschool instructor admitted to having intercourse with one in all his underage college students and stated they deliberate to journey to Louisiana collectively to elope, in keeping with new statements made by a Jackson County sheriff official in court docket this week, in keeping with a number of experiences.

Inmate information reviewed by PEOPLE present that James Donald Hawkins II, a former Ocean Springs Excessive Faculty physics instructor, was arrested on Nov. 30 and charged with felony sexual battery. It isn’t clear if he has entered a plea or retained an legal professional.

The previous instructor’s arrest got here after the 17-year-old advised her mother and father about his alleged advances, authorities say, native WLOX reported.

“The sufferer stated that it started within the springtime of 2023 earlier than the final faculty yr ended,” Jackson County Sheriff Captain Kristen Johnson advised a courtroom on Tuesday, in keeping with the outlet, noting that {the teenager} claimed the abuse started after the instructor consoled her when she was distressed over a difficulty in school.

“In line with Mr. Hawkins, he admitted that they had intercourse roughly one time a month, together with at his home and in her automobile,” Johnson stated, in keeping with WLOX.

“He stated that that they had made plans to go to Louisiana to elope and issues have been transferring quicker than they initially anticipated,” Johnson additionally advised the courtroom, in keeping with WLOX.

Hawkins is married with a younger toddler, in keeping with the Biloxi Sun Herald.

Hawkins was reportedly launched on a $150,000 bond Tuesday and was ordered by Decide Calbin Taylor to not contact {the teenager}, in keeping with WLOX.

The outlet experiences that Jackson County authorities have stated their investigation into Hawkins is ongoing and that the previous instructor may face extra prices sooner or later.

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After his arrest final week, AL.com reported that Hawkins was fired by the Ocean Springs Faculty District, the place he had labored since 2022.

“OSSD is deeply troubled by the arrest and prices introduced right this moment by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Division involving one in all our academics,” the college district stated in a statement to the outlet. “James Hawkins was terminated from OSSD when district officers have been knowledgeable of his arrest and subsequent prices by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Division this night.”

Upon firing him, the Mississippi-based faculty district stated the felony cost towards Hawkins was “disturbing and insupportable.”

In the event you or somebody you already know has been a sufferer of sexual abuse, textual content “STRENGTH” to the Disaster Textual content Line at 741-741 to be related to an authorized disaster counselor.

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