A 31-year-old high school secretary in eastern Indiana has been arrested and charged with five counts of child seduction after investigators said she had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student and was discovered by her husband with another student.
The arrest of Alicia Hughes has shaken the Randolph Eastern School Corp. community and prompted a widening investigation by local law enforcement. Police say the case began as a report of battery during a confrontation at home, then expanded as detectives looked into separate allegations tied to the school. Hughes remained jailed Thursday on a $25,000 cash-only bond, and authorities said they have not ruled out additional steps as they review evidence and interviews.
Investigators said officers were called over the weekend after Hughes’ husband reported finding her in a sexual encounter with an 18-year-old student and confronting them. Police initially responded to the scene for a battery complaint connected to that confrontation, according to accounts later summarized by authorities and media reports. As the response shifted from the domestic call to follow-up interviews, detectives said they began gathering information about Hughes’ contact with students beyond the initial report. In the days that followed, investigators said they identified a separate student, 17 at the time, and concluded Hughes had sexual intercourse with that teen on at least five occasions. Those findings became the basis for the five felony counts filed against her. Authorities have not publicly described where the alleged encounters occurred or provided dates for the five occasions, saying they are working to protect the identities of the students involved.
Police in Union City said the investigation has involved both the Union City Police Department and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department. Hughes was booked into the Randolph County Jail, and jail information cited in reports listed her bond as cash only. The charges against Hughes focus on the 17-year-old, while officials have not said whether they plan to file charges related to the 18-year-old who was involved in the incident reported by Hughes’ husband. Officials also have not said whether Hughes’ husband could face any charge connected to the battery report that brought officers to the scene, and his name has not been released publicly. It was not immediately clear whether Hughes had hired a lawyer or entered a plea. Court filings and jail listings referenced in published reports did not include a public statement from her defense.
The case has quickly raised questions about trust and supervision in a school setting, even as many details remain undisclosed. Police have not named the school where Hughes worked or the students involved, and they have not said how long the alleged relationships lasted. Authorities also have not said whether other students may have been involved or whether investigators are examining any communications such as messages or social media contacts. The limited information released so far has centered on the count of alleged encounters with the 17-year-old and the fact that the case was triggered by a domestic call. While the criminal allegations target Hughes’ conduct, investigators have not described whether any prior complaints were reported to school officials, or whether any internal review was underway before police were called.
School officials said Hughes has been removed from contact with students as the case moves through the courts. Randolph Eastern School Corp. Superintendent Neal Adams said Hughes “has been removed from all duties with students pending the outcome of the legal process.” Adams declined to discuss employment details, citing the active investigation and student privacy. “Because this is an active criminal investigation, and to protect the privacy of students and the integrity of the process, RESC will not comment further on specific details at this time,” Adams said in a statement. The district did not announce any additional staffing changes, and it did not say whether it had placed Hughes on leave or terminated her employment. Officials also did not provide details about what access Hughes had to students in her role as a secretary, beyond acknowledging that her duties included work in a school environment.
The criminal case now turns on early court proceedings and the pace of the continuing investigation. Child seduction charges in Indiana generally involve an adult in a position of trust or authority over a minor, and the case will likely require prosecutors to lay out how Hughes’ job related to the student involved in the five-count filing. Authorities said they are still gathering information and have not announced a timeline for any additional charging decision tied to the 18-year-old mentioned in the initial call. Investigators also have not said whether they are seeking further witnesses or whether they have obtained digital records as part of the inquiry. Hughes’ first court appearances and any future hearings were not publicly detailed in the limited information released this week, but officials indicated the next steps include initial hearings and routine pretrial procedures as the case advances.
In Union City, the allegations have left families and staff members watching for answers while investigators keep details closely held. Police have emphasized that they will not identify the students and that they are proceeding cautiously as they interview witnesses and review evidence. The public information so far describes a case that widened quickly from a call about a confrontation to allegations involving a second teenager and multiple encounters. For the school district, the case has also put a spotlight on how quickly a small community can be pulled into a criminal investigation involving students, staff, and the private lives of adults connected to a campus. Officials have not announced any public meeting or briefing about the situation, and police have not released further records describing the underlying battery complaint.
Hughes remained in custody Thursday as investigators continued their work and officials said any decision on additional charges would come after further review. The next major milestone is expected to be her initial court hearings, where a plea and future dates could be set.
Author note: Last updated February 19, 2026.