By By MARY-ALLISON LANCASTER Managing editor
An East Brewton woman was charged with sexual abuse and enticing a child for immoral purposes during Field Day at W.S. Neal Middle School.
Sarah Louise Nelson, 41, of Still Road, was charged on May 6 for alleged sexual acts, which occurred during W.S. Neal Middle School's Field Day events. According to Sheriff Grover Smith, Field Day was held on April 29 with approximately100 parents in attendance.
He added that she allegedly touched one of the other young boys and enticed him into the bathroom.
Principal Gayle Fountain confirmed what the sheriff said and recalled the turn of events. She said one of the children reported to his teacher what had happened. The teacher relayed what the child had said to Vice Principal Dennis Hadaway.
Hadaway called in the school counselor, Carolyn Brown, who spoke to the child. It was determined by Brown that the accusation was legitimate, Fountain said.
Brown then notified the Escambia County School Board office, the sheriff's department and the Department of Human Resources. Cathy McCollough is the acting DHR investigator for this case.
Nelson was charged with sexual abuse in the second, which is a misdemeanor, and with enticing a child to enter a building for immoral purposes, which is a felony.
Smith said Nelson's bond was set at $50,000 and she has remained free since she bonded out. As a condition of the bond, the school board asked that Nelson is to have no contact with minors and cannot go back onto the property of any county school, Smith said.
Fountain said she believed that all of the children involved have been identified, but the investigation is still ongoing.