A 25-year-old Winside school teacher faces allegations of having an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old student.
Wayne County Sheriff Jason Dwinell's office confirmed that Winside family and consumer sciences teacher Cali Heikes was arrested Sunday for engaging in sexual intercourse with the student on multiple occasions.
Deputy Recalled Victim Leaving Winside Cemetery with Friend Named 'Cali'
According to court documents, a deputy noted that he received a call the evening of Jan. 20 from a Department of Health and Human Services hotline about a teacher believed to be in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old male.
According to the deputy, he then recalled a traffic stop from Jan. 12 when he observed two vehicles leaving the area around the Winside Cemetery. The deputy stopped the vehicle driven by the alleged victim for a traffic violation and the driver reported he was at the cemetery with "his friend Cali," according to the warrant.
At the time of the stop, the deputy also made a note of the other vehicle leaving the area, a black Chevrolet SUV. The plates for the black Chevrolet SUV were registered to Heikes.
Victim's Family Member Said He Would Sneak Out to Have Sex with Heikes 2 or 3 Times a Week
Later that evening, the deputy interviewed the victim's sister about the potential relationship, and she said that Heikes would sneak into the victim's house at night to have sexual intercourse. She also told deputies that she believed the pair were meeting about two to three times a week around town.
That family member showed the deputy text messages substantiating her report. The deputy also reported an interview with other family members in which they recalled the alleged victim asking "how they would feel if he was dating a 25-year-old."
The search warrant seeks cell phone and other electronic information for Heikes, who the deputy believes committed sexual abuse by a school employee, which is a Class IIA felony in Nebraska. Under Nebraska statute, a person charged with a Class IIA felony in Nebraska faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Heikes posted bail on a $2000 bond the day after her arrest. Her photo has since been removed from the staff list on the Winside Public Schools website
