A onetime Oklahoma high school teacher and track coach allegedly raped a teenage student at his home in 2019, say authorities.
Neal pleaded not guilty and was released on a $100,000 bond.
The teen told police that in December of 2019, Neal allegedly touched her sexually while adjusting her body while she was lying on a table, according to the affidavit, KMRG reports.
Neal’s wife and daughter were away at the time, the affidavit says, KMRG reports.
The allegations came to light on Jan. 7, 2020, when the girl and her mother reported it to the Broken Arrow Police Department, Fullbright reports.
The girl told police that she and Neal allegedly kept in touch over Snapchat.
But the next day, the girl denied having a sexual relationship with Neal when police questioned her at school. She refused to let authorities look at her phone.
Neal also denied having a sexual relationship with the teen, but did give police access to his phone after he spoke to detectives on Jan. 8, 2020.
Neal resigned that day, according to Broken Arrow Public Schools,News On 6reports.
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On Jan. 10, police obtained a warrant for the teen’s phone after seeing video of her going to Neal’s class right after talking to police and speaking to him in the hallway, the affidavit says.
The case stalled in April 2020 when the girl refused to cooperate and police allegedly found no evidence on Snapchat accounts belonging to her and Neal, the affidavit says.
More than a year later, on May 6, 2021, the case became active again when the teen went back to police and alleged she and Neal did have a sexual relationship that lasted from December 2019 to Jan. 7, 2020, News On 6 reports.
She also allegedly told police that she had “burned everything” on her Snapchat account, the affidavit states.
She told police she came forward because she was afraid of Neal, court documents show, KMRG reports.
PEOPLE was not immediately available to reach Neal’s attorney.
source: people.com
