WHARTON COUNTY – A Wharton Independent School District teacher found herself behind bars, accused of having sex with one of her students.
Brooke Lynn Domel, 32, was arrested in the Wharton ISD Administration building parking lot on Monday morning,
Investigator said the married mother and Wharton High School teacher was booked into Wharton County Jail, with the felony charge of an improper relationship between an educator and a student.
Wharton ISD Superintendent, Kay Shoppa, notified school board members after the arrest and released a statement to the news media.
"The District takes these allegations very seriously and does not tolerate the type of conduct alleged. Student safety remains the number one priority in this school system. To that end, the District is cooperating with the authorities and will take any and all corrective action it deems necessary as a result of the investigation," Shoppa said in the statement.
Law enforcement officials began investigating reports of alleged misconduct by Domel in May.
The investigation was lead by Wharton's police chief, Landy Williams.
According to officials, Domel's arrest was the result of new information given on the case.
Williams later sought out help from Wharton County sheriff's department Sgt. Raymond Jansky and Sgt. Wally Rodriguez.
"We re-interviewed some witnesses and interviewed new witnesses which shed more light on the case at which time we were able to develop probable cause for an arrest," said Jansky.
According to Jansky, Domel "had sex with a high school student" in 2012, who graduated in June.
"We have to do some more interviews," said Rodriguez.
When the case is is completed, it will be filed with the District Attorney's office.
"The Sheriff's Office and Landy Williams are working the investigation and presenting evidence to our office and we're planning on prosecuting," said District Attorney, Ross Kurtz.
An improper relationship between an educator and a student is a second degree state jail felony.
Domel posted bond and was released from jail Tuesday.