East Texas

From staff reports and KYTX CBS 19

A 43-year-old Mineola teacher was arrested Thursday for an improper relationship with a student, according to Wood County jail records.

Jo Ann Stephens was released from Wood County Jail the same day on a $25,000 bond, according to the records.

Stephens teaches physical education at Mineola Elementary School, according to the Mineola ISD website. She has been with the school district since 2006-07, a source close to the investigation said. The male student involved graduated earlier this year and is now attending college, the source said.

Mineola Police said they had received a report from child protective services in August about the possible inappropriate relationship, and said in a news release that after months of investigation, they found probable cause for an arrest warrant, which was executed Thursday.

The warrant says Stephens gave a 15-year-old student a cell phone to keep in contact. Stephens allegedly also gave the student candy, gifts, clothes and money.

Witnesses say the two were seen at the Keys Creek RV Park in Mineola kissing and leaving in one vehicle. A search warrant was executed on a Chevy truck driven by the victim, and a semen sample was extracted from the back of a truck.

Updated Friday, December 17, 2010 at 2:16 p.m. CST

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