Jackson TN April 21 2013 Police have arrested a South Gibson County High School teacher in connection with a child sex abuse investigation involving a 17-year-old female, according to a news release from the Jackson Police Department.The release said police filed charges Friday on Kendall Bell, 25, of Jackson, for two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure and one count of sexual battery by an authority figure. Bell will have a bond set Saturday morning and will be formally arraigned on charges at 8 a.m. Monday in Jackson City Court.
According to the school's Web site, Bell is a inclusive educational specialist, the head boys' soccer coach and an assistant football coach.
Around 10:15 a.m. Friday, officers and investigators executed a search warrant at Bell's apartment at Camellia Trace Apartments, located at 100 Trace Drive, to look for evidence, the release said. Bell, who was at home when police executed the warrant, was taken into custody and transported to the Madison County Jail. Investigators gathered evidence from the apartment.
The release said on April 10, Jackson police was contacted by the Tennessee Department of Children's Services regarding a child sex abuse complaint. The investigation revealed that on Feb. 15, the Medina teen traveled to Bell's apartment at Camellia Trace in Jackson. While inside his apartment, Bell had sexual contact with the minor and he fondled her.
On March 22, the teen again traveled to Jackson to see Bell. He then had sexual contact with her while driving his truck.
The release said on the dates of the offenses, Bell was a teacher at a South Gibson County High School, located at 1000 Hornet Drive in Medina, where the girl was a student.