Conroe police say they were sent to investigate a suspicious vehicle, and when they arrived, discovered Christopher Nicholas Patterson, 31, with a 17-year-old girl. Police say the pair gave different stories.
Authorities say the girl is a student at Willis High School. Patterson is a contract employee at the school and also works for Huntsville Memorial Hospital.
Later on, investigators say the student admitted she had engaged in sexual activity with Patterson. He faces a second degree felony charge for allegedly having an improper relationship between an educator and a student. His bond is set at 100,000.
A statement from Willis ISD read in part: "We are deeply disturbed and dismayed by these allegations and will cooperate fully with the Conroe Police Department investigation," stated Superintendent Tim Harkrider. "The safety and security of all the children entrusted to our care by the Willis ISD community is our top priority. We want to assure the community that while the trainer was never an employee of the district, we did conduct our standard background review prior to the trainer's contact with our students. Our school district will never tolerate anyone who works on our campuses having an improper relationship with our students. We will work closely with law enforcement authorities to ensure an appropriate resolution of the situation."
A spokesperson for the school district adds that Patterson is no longer employed on any Willis ISD campus.
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