Missouri teacher arrested in San Antonio area for alleged sex with teen

A high school teacher from Missouri, who was charged with multiple counts related to an alleged inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old student, was recently arrested in the San Antonio area.

Hailey Clifton-Carmack, 26, was arrested on Friday, January 5, in the San Antonio area after she reportedly left Missouri on December 23, 2023, according to a report from KRCG13 News. She was charged by Missouri’s Pulaski County with statutory rape, endangering the welfare of a child, sexual contact with a student, and child molestation. 

A warrant for her arrest was issued and after her arrest a bond was set at $250,000 on Thursday, January 4, according to KRMS. Comal County court records indicate she is still in the county’s jail.

The father of the 16-year-old victim was also charged with endangering the welfare of a child, after allegedly knowing about the relationship, according to KRCG.

Clifton-Carmack was a math teacher at Laquey High School in Pulaski County, Missouri. She was away from the district since December 8, 2023, according to a statement from the district’s Superintendent Kent Stoumbaugh. He also told news station ABC17 KMIZ that Clifton-Carmack had been at the district for a year and a half, and it was her first teaching job.

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department was contacted by a Laquey school resource officer about a student who reported a sexual relationship between a student and teacher, according to court records.

The student reportedly told the officer a classmate showed the student pictures of his back with scratches, which he told the student were allegedly from having sex with Clifton-Carmack in his driveway. The student also said they heard a phone call between Clifton-Carmack and the teen.

The student told officials Clifton-Carmack would talk about her personal life in class, and said she’d get in trouble with administration for being too close with students. The ABC17 report says the teacher was spoken to about it, but only Clifton-Carmack, Stoumbaugh, and the principal knew about the discussion.

The student also told officials that Clifton-Carmack would be “too friendly” with students, and “dress inappropriately at school,” according to court records.

On December 8, Clifton-Carmack was approached by detectives and she denied having any relationship with a student outside of school. Detectives applied for a search warrant for her phone when she did not provide a password following advice given by a lawyer, the report says.

Officials eventually gained access and reportedly found conversations between Clifton-Carmack and the 16-year-old about the relationship. A tip was given to law enforcement that on the December 23, Clifton-Carmack was going to meet with the 16-year-old before leaving for Texas, KRCG reports.

A second witness told officials on Wednesday, January 3, that they went to tell the father of the teen of the alleged relationship, but he said he already knew about the relationship, according to court records obtained by KRCG. The father allegedly told the witness that other students would act as lookouts while Clifton-Carmack and his son had sex during school. The witness also said when they were at the father’s home, he was on the phone with Clifton-Carmack.

The father also allegedly admitted to a Pulaski County detective that Clifton-Carmack was at his home before she left for Texas. KRCG reports the father “knew of the relationship of his minor child and the 26-year-old teacher and instead of reporting the information, he continued to cover for them and allowed the relationship to continue.” He was also arrested, but was released after posting a $50,000 bond, according to court records.