An employee at an Indiana high school has been detained amid an investigation of inappropriate conduct with a student.
Alicia Hughes, a secretary for the Randolph Eastern School Corporation, was arrested on Saturday (February 14) after police received a report of an alleged battery.
Upon arriving at the scene, police officers were told that Hughes’ husband had caught her with a student who attended the school she worked for.
Highlights
- A high school secretary in Union City, Indiana, has been arrested and charged with child seduction.
- Alicia Hughes is accused of sleeping with a minor who attended Randolph Eastern School Corporation, the school where she worked.
- The school district said it’s cooperating with authorities and treating the case with “utmost seriousness, care, and urgency.”
Image credits: Union City Police Department
Trigger warning: This article discusses crime involving minors. Reader discretion is advised.
Hughes and the 18-year-old student were reportedly confronted by her husband when he found them together.
Hughes was allegedly battered during the incident, which is also being investigated by the Randolph County Sheriff's Department.
Law enforcement officers later found evidence suggesting that Hughes had also slept with a 17-year-old student.
Image credits: Randolph Eastern School Corporation/Facebook
The school secretary is believed to have s*xually ab*sed the student on at least five occasions.
Hughes was arrested and charged with five counts of child seduction in connection with the alleged incident involving the minor.
The woman is being held at Randolph County Jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond.
In a statement, the Union City Police Department thanked Randolph Eastern School Corporation (RESC) for its “swift cooperation, transparency, and commitment to protecting the students of the district throughout this investigation.”
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information about the case is encouraged to contact the Union City Police Department at (765) 964-5328.
In Indiana, the legal age of consent is 16 years old. This means that anyone under the age of 16 cannot legally consent to s*xual activity.
However, in the case involving Hughes, police determined that the teenager had been ab*sed.
Image credits: Gibson County Sheriff's Office
Child seduction is defined in the state as engaging in int*rcourse, other s*xual conduct, or any fondling or touching with the intent to arouse or satisfy the desires of either the child or the adult, as per B. Hicks Law.
One key aspect of Indiana's child seduction laws is the concept of a "professional relationship."
This relationship is established when a person, by virtue of their occupation or license, exerts a significant influence over the minor. It includes teachers, coaches, law enforcement officers, and more.
The law considers the age difference between the adult and the minor, whether the adult was in a position of trust with respect to the minor, the authority that the adult had over the minor, and/or whether the adult exploited any particular vulnerability of the minor.
Image credits: Vanderburgh County Jail
RESC Superintendent Neal Adams, who works at the Indiana school, said in a statement to WXIN that the district is taking the allegations “extremely seriously” and appreciates the “professionalism and diligence” of local authorities.
“We recognize that situations of this nature are deeply concerning for our families, staff, and the broader community. Please know that we share those concerns and are taking this matter with the utmost seriousness, care, and urgency,” she stated.
“Our focus remains on supporting our students and maintaining a safe, respectful, and supportive learning environment for all students.
“We will continue to follow all legal and personnel procedures required under state law and board policy.”
Image credits: WTHR
Adams said she would not be commenting further because the investigation remains ongoing and she wants to “protect the privacy of students and the integrity of the process.”
The high school confirmed the secretary was removed from her role following her arrest.
The investigation comes after Indiana social worker Mariah Lienemann was arrested last December on a felony charge of child seduction.
The 30-year-old woman allegedly slept with a 16-year-old student who was in her class at Princeton High School.
In May 2025, Indiana authorities arrested teacher and track coach Noah McBride on charges that include eight counts of child seduction and three counts of child solicitation.
The teacher is accused of having illegal intimate relations with a student who was 15 at the time. The victim said that McBride would sometimes record their interactions with his phone.
Former Indiana math school teacher Brittany Fortinberry was accused last year of arranging group s*x with underage students, some as young as 13, and forcing them to wear masks. The woman faces 47 charges in connection with the alleged crime.
Image credits: Ahmet Kurt/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
In the state, child seduction can be punished by between six months and 30 years in prison, depending on the age of the child and whether the perpetrator engaged in int*rcourse or other s*xual conduct.
Most often, child s*xual ab*se is committed by someone the victim knows and trusts. According to RAINN, the largest anti-s*xual violence organization in the United States, most perpetrators are acquaintances (59%) or family members (34%), and only 7% are strangers to the victim.
If you or someone you know has experienced s*xual as*ault, you are not alone. RAINN’s hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support. You can call 800.656.HOPE (4673) or chat at RAINN.org/hotline
