Former China Grove Elementary teacher faces new sex offense charges

Published 8:38 pm Tuesday, March 26, 2019

CHINA GROVE — A former China Grove Elementary School teacher faces new sex offense charges after another victim came forward, police officials said Tuesday.

Brittany Leigh Howard was originally charged in November after the China Grove Police Department received a tip that she was having a sexual relationship with a student.

Police Chief Andrew Deal said Tuesday that another victim came forward, leading to the additional charges.

Howard faces five counts of statutory rape of a person 15 or younger, five counts of statutory sex offense of a person 15 years or younger, and five counts of having sex with a student.

She was arrested at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday and taken to the Rowan County Magistrate’s Office, where she was issued a $250,000 secured bond.

Howard, who resigned in June, was charged in November with two counts of statutory rape of a person 15 years or younger; two counts of statutory sex offense with a person 15 or younger; and two counts of sexual activity with a student.

Authorities said the November charges stem from incidents in 2017 with a former student. They did not occur at the school, officials said then.