Former teacher tried to marry a student. Now she's charged with soliciting a minor

Cassandra White, 34, and her 16-year-old would-be fiance strolled up to the county courthouse and filed for a marriage license. A day later, police say, she had resigned from her job teaching English at Davis High School in Oklahoma.

The 16-year-old is her former student.

Tuesday she was arrested and charged with four counts of soliciting sexual conduct with a minor, according to KXII.

In Oklahoma, as in many other states, teens as young as 16 can legally get married if a parent or guardian also gives consent. In this case, the teen's father did give consent, according to KFOR, so that part of the whole exchange was legal.

But local authorities started investigating the nature of the relationship between the former teacher and her former English student nearly two weeks before they applied for their marriage license. The teen has not been identified, other than his classification as a sophomore at Davis High School, by KTEN, because he is possibly the victim of sexual assault.

Under Oklahoma law, a teacher can be charged with rape if a victim, between 16 and 20 years old, has a sexual relationship with a teacher, at least 18 years old, and the teacher is employed by the school system where the student is enrolled.

The Davis Police Department, which arrested White, denied her bond, according to KFOR.

White and her former student applied for the marriage license on Dec. 13. One day later, she was no longer employed by the Davis Public Schools system.

Davis Police Chief Dan Cooper told KTEN that his department's investigation into White started as the result of a complaint by a concerned parent in town, and that White resigned her position shortly after police were notified of the relationship with the 16-year-old.

Davis is a town of almost 3,000, about 50 miles north of the Texas-Oklahoma state line, and directly south of Oklahoma City. It occupies parts of Garvin and Murray counties.

White remained in the Murray County Jail on Wednesday. Police have not commented on any evidence in the case.

This story was originally published April 25, 2018 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Former teacher tried to marry a student. Now she's charged with soliciting a minor."