Former Agua Dulce teacher faces child sexual assault charges in Alice court

A status hearing was held Jan. 13 in the 105th District Court in Alice for 26-year-old Jaden Renee Charles, a former science teacher at Agua Dulce Secondary School now charged with two counts of sexual assault of a child. The allegations, which span investigations in both Nueces and Jim Wells counties, stem from an incident in Alice on Feb. 29, 2024, and include claims she had sexual relationships with more than one student.

Court documents say the alleged incident occurred around 2:10 a.m. at the Walmart parking lot in Alice. According to the filings, Charles, who was 24 at the time of the alleged conduct, drove three students to the store: a 14-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl. The documents state she tied a blanket around the front seat headrests of her SUV and engaged in sexual activity with the 14-year-old in the front seat while the other two teens sat in the back. The filings say Charles told investigators she believed she was pregnant with the 14-year-old boy’s baby. Two of the teens told investigators Charles had slept with other students at Agua Dulce Independent School District, and investigators believe alleged acts occurred both in Agua Dulce and in Alice.

Charles appeared before Judge Jack Pulcher. Her attorney told the court he has not yet received evidence from Jim Wells County, and court documents indicate matters in Jim Wells County may still need to be presented to a grand jury for indictment. Judge Pulcher set the next hearing for the first week of April. Charles was arrested in March 2024 and was a teacher at Agua Dulce when taken into custody.

For a tight-knit community like Agua Dulce and the city of Alice, allegations involving a school employee touch on both public safety and local institutions. Small districts often operate with lean budgets and limited administrative staff, and investigations of staff misconduct can produce legal expense, state-mandated reporting obligations and potential civil claims that strain local resources. Beyond direct fiscal effects, cases like this tend to erode community trust in schools and prompt reviews of hiring, supervision and staff training practices.

The procedural status noted in court highlights how multi-county investigations can slow evidence exchange and delay formal indictments. Residents and district families will likely watch for actions from Agua Dulce ISD and prosecutors in both counties in the coming weeks. With the next court date in early April, the immediate questions for Jim Wells County residents are how charging decisions proceed and what steps the school district will take to protect students and restore community confidence.