Teacher Sentenced for Sex With 15-Year-Old Student While Pregnant

A middle school teacher in Texas has been sentenced to jail after having a sexual relationship with a student while she was pregnant.

Katherine Harper, 28, has been sentenced to six years in prison and 10 years’ probation after she pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault of a child and one count of having an improper relationship with a student, a second degree felony, according to PEOPLE.

Harper, a middle school English teacher, cheerleading coach, and tennis coach at Tidwell Middle School in Roanoke, Texas had been arrested in April 2017, when she was eight months pregnant, following a three-month investigation into an alleged sexual relationship she had with a 15-year-old former student, according to the New York Post.

The school had originally received a tip in September about the relationship, though the investigation was closed due to a lack of information. A second investigation into the reported relationship began in December 2016 after school officials received an anonymous tip through the district’s website and alerted authorities. The student reportedly confessed to the relationship when questioned by his high school’s principal.

A police investigation discovered that Harper’s relationship with the student began with the two exchanging nude photos of themselves as well as provocative text messages, which eventually led to Harper showing up at the teen’s Trophy Club home. The 15-year-old told authorities that the two began drinking before he performed a sex act on Harper, the Star-Telegram reported.

Following their initial encounter, the two met several more times either at the teen’s home or hers from June 1, 2016, to July 31, 2016, during which time they engaged in sex acts. During the course of their relationship, they reportedly communicated with one another 76 times, according to cellphone records police obtained.

“One thing led to another and she told me to ‘put it in’ and I did,” the teen reportedly told authorities, according to a police warrant.

Harper was placed on administrative leave during the investigation. She was originally released on from the Denton County Jail after posting $15,000 bond following her arrest.

It was not known if the teenage student is the father of Harper’s baby and the 2017 arrest affidavit did not state whether the 15-year-old was the baby’s father.