A school cafeteria worker has been taken into custody after allegations of engaging in daily s*xual activity with a student inside a school storage closet.
Jenna Woodworth, 30, was arrested on Thursday, May 8, following accusations of an inappropriate relationship with a student at East Central High School in San Antonio, Texas.
School staff discovered a photograph of the student in her work locker shortly after her arrest. Both Woodworth and the student were interviewed by police, during which they reportedly admitted to their inappropriate relationship. An arrest affidavit indicates that police began investigating the allegations on the morning of May 7.
The student’s account revealed that Woodworth allegedly picked him up from a stadium parking lot in a district vehicle. She then supposedly drove him back to the school, where they entered through an employee-only entrance and engaged in s*xual activity inside a cupboard, according to reports from the Mirror.
The student told police that they entered the building via the back entrance of the cafeteria and had s*x in a kitchen cupboard. Afterward, the student claimed that Woodworth cleaned her hands and resumed her duties.
Woodworth was detained at Bexar County Jail and was released on bail early Saturday morning, May 10. Her bail was set at $50,000, based on jail records.
She now faces a second-degree felony charge for having an improper relationship with a student—a serious offense in Texas that can carry up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
The age of the student has not been disclosed by authorities. While the age of consent in Texas is 17, it is still illegal for educators to engage in s*xual activity with students of any age, regardless of consent.
Reports indicate that Woodworth and the student have known each other since the student’s first year at the school. During police interviews, the student reportedly said, “[Woodworth] would get upset with me if I did not speak to her or acknowledge her when I was around her.”
Woodworth had been employed in the high school’s nutrition department since 2011. Following her arrest, the school district announced her immediate dismissal.
Parents received a letter from the school district explaining that “immediate and decisive action” was taken once the incident was reported. The letter also stated that the student’s family had been informed and was actively involved in the investigation, and that Child Protective Services had been notified.
