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A biology high school teacher in Georgia has been arrested after she was accused of sexually abusing a student on two occasions, with once incident allegedly taking place in a classroom closet.
Maris Nichols has been charged with two counts of sexual assault by a person with supervisory or disciplinary authority, according to KGNS.
Nichols, 25, appeared in court on Friday, May 8, and a judge set her bond at $40,000, according to WSB-TV.
The alleged assaults took place when Nichols was teaching at Alexander High School in Douglasville.
Nichols has been accused of having sexual intercourse with a student on two separate occasions, according to 11Alive. The first alleged incident took place on April 23 in a closet at the high school, while the second incident took place in a Hummer in a residential driveway on May 2.
After the school learned about the allegations, Nichols was taken into custody and officials notified parents about the situation.
“The Douglas County School System is deeply troubled by allegations against an individual associated with one of our schools,” the district said in a statement, per 11Alive. “Upon learning of the alleged misconduct, the district immediately launched an investigation.”
The district added that “student safety is the district’s highest priority.”
“The alleged behavior is unacceptable and violates the professional standards all employees are required to uphold,” the district added, noting that they are cooperating with authorities amid the investigation.
The outlet also reported that law enforcement had been at the school on the afternoon of May 6 to investigate the allegations.
“The Douglas County School System will continue to cooperate fully with state and local law enforcement. The district cannot provide additional information regarding the allegations,” the statement concluded. “Any further inquiries should be directed to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.”
While the district did not reveal if Nichols was let go from her teaching position, Us Weekly can confirm she is no longer named or pictured as a teacher on the high school’s website.
Nichols was booked into the Douglas County Jail and it appears she is no longer in custody.
It is not currently known if Nichols has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following her arrest. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding the case.
Police have also not shared how the school became aware of the situation. The investigation into the case remains ongoing.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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