Hondo, Texas - McDowell Middle School Teacher Jose Eduardo Hernandez Charged with Sexually Assaulting Student

Hondo ISD Teacher Charged with Sexual Assault of a Child

McDowell Middle School teacher Jose Eduardo Hernandez was arrested at the school on January 15 for allegedly sexually abusing a student. Hernandez is accused of abusing a 16-year-old student over a period of eight months. He has been charged with sexual assault of a child.

Police say the victim reported that Hernandez was her teacher and coach and that the two had been having sex since January of 2019, with a total of approximately 20 incidents. She told police that Hernandez would allow her to skip class and that he would take her to a motel near the school.

Hernandez is also accused of taking photos and videos of the abuse and sending them to the girl through Snapchat.

The sexual assaults allegedly happened between January 2019 and September 2019, when Hernandez was employed at Lanier High School. He was hired as a social studies teacher at McDowell Middle School in August of 2019. Hondo ISD said that he is no longer employed by the school district.

Legal Options For School Sex Abuse Victims and Their Families

Attorney contributor Anjali Nigam helps sex abuse victims and their families find answers and support through civil lawsuits against sexual predators and negligent third parties, including schools that have failed to keep their students safe. Here is Anjali with some general information on the legal rights of school sex abuse victims and their families:

Teachers are trusted to be positive influences on their students, but sadly, this is not always the case. Although most teachers may be trustworthy, there have also been widespread reports of teachers and other school staff members sexually abusing their students. When this happens, it's important to ask if the school met its legal duty to protect its students from sexual predators.

Some teacher sex abuse cases only happen due to negligence by the school district, such as failing to address previous reports of sexual misconduct involving the accused teacher. When negligence has played a role in a case of abuse, the victims and their families may have grounds for a lawsuit against the school district.

If you or your child is a victim of sexual abuse by a teacher or another school employee, you can learn more about your family's legal options in a free consultation with one of our experienced sex abuse victims lawyers.

Sources:

https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2020/01/23/sapd-teacher-had-sexual-relationship-with-a-student-for-months-recorded-acts-on-phone/

https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2020/01/23/teen-tells-san-antonio-police-that-teacher-took-her-to-nearby-motel-to-have-sex-during-school-time