A Washington state teacher has been charged in connection with having sexual relationships with two teenage boys she adopted.
Amber Swain, 35, of Newport, was booked into jail Tuesday on charges of first- and second-degree incest following an investigation, the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office said. Swain worked as a teacher and director at Pend Oreille River School, the Newport School District’s alternative high school. She was placed on administrative leave after the district learned of her arrest, The Spokesman-Review reported.
“While we cannot say much at this time, we can unequivocally and firmly state that we take these matters very seriously,” the district said in a statement. “We are working closely with law enforcement as they continue their investigation into this matter.”
The sheriff’s office said it was contacted on May 18 by the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families regarding the possible sexual abuse of two male teens, who were 17 and 18 when the alleged abuse started several months ago, the newspaper reported.
SEATTLE TIMES EDITORIAL BOARD WARNS WASHINGTON STATE PRIORITIZES ACCUSED TEACHERS OVER CHILD SAFETY
Both teens were interviewed by investigators, as was Swain, authorities said. One of the boys told authorities that he and Swain had sex “plenty of times,” including a few days before his interview with investigators, KREM-TV reported.
After speaking with Swain, detectives found probable cause to arrest her, the sheriff’s office said. The investigation began in May when law enforcement was shown text messages between Swain and one of the teenage boys, the news station reported.
Swain initially denied having sex with the teen when she was interviewed by investigators, but later admitted she did have a relationship with one of the boys in February, which would have been after he turned 18, the station reported.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SHOWN INAPPROPRIATE IMAGES IN TEACHER’S SLIDESHOW PRESENTATION
“I could have my timeline messed up,” she reportedly told investigators.
The other teen victim told detectives that he touched Swain multiple times in May while they were in bed together, but said Swain put a stop to it before the incident escalated further.
Prosecutors requested that Swain be barred from contacting the teens after she allegedly reached out to one of them from jail while under arrest, KREM-TV reported.
Pend Oreille County Prosecuting Attorney Dolly Hunt asked a judge to impose $50,000 bail for Swain, citing public safety concerns. Swain’s public defender, Brett Billingsley, asked that his client be released, citing her lack of a prior criminal history and arguing that concerns about public safety could be addressed by Swain living in a separate residence from the teens.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Billingsley for comment.
