A Texas substitute teacher has been arrested and is facing multiple felony charges, including aggravated sexual assault of a child, police said.
Madison Jones, 30, was arrested by officers with the Midlothian Police Department on Dec. 19 following a report two days earlier of a potential sexual assault involving a child.
Police said detectives with the department’s Criminal Investigation Division later identified a second suspect, Zackery Dondlinger, 37, from Happy, Texas.
Dondlinger was arrested on Dec. 23 and charged with sexual performance by a child and was being held at the Winkler County Detention Center at the time of his arrest.
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Midlothian Police Department Assistant Chief Scott Brown told Fox News Digital that Jones and Dondlinger had a dating relationship.
Jail records from the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office show Jones is being held on charges including aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony, as well as two second-degree felony counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact and a first-degree felony charge of possession of child pornography involving more than 500 visual depictions.
She is being held on a $90,000 bond.
“The Midlothian Police Department extends its gratitude to the Ellis County Children’s Advocacy Center for their assistance, as well as the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Office of the Attorney General — Fugitive Apprehension Unit, and the Loving County Sheriff’s Office for their support in locating and apprehending Dondlinger,” the department said in a Facebook post, noting that the investigation is ongoing.
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The Midlothian Independent School District (ISD) told CBS News that Jones is no longer employed by them and that she worked as a substitute teacher on four occasions during the past 12 months, including one day at Heritage High School on Nov. 19 and three days at Baxter Elementary School on Oct. 28–29 and Nov. 3.
The district told the outlet that it has no information at this time suggesting the allegations are connected to Jones’ work as a substitute teacher or that any incidents occurred on a district campus or during a school-related activity.
“Our district process for monitoring employee criminal history functioned as intended, and we were notified quickly by the DPS,” Midlothian ISD said in a statement. “The substitute teacher is no longer employed by MISD and the district followed its required reporting procedures with the Texas Education Agency.”
