Former DHS SRO Kristen Childress waived right to preliminary hearing
Childress waits to enter courtroom.
Story by Shannon Taylor, Senior Investigative Reporter
Former Dresden High School Resource Officer and Weakley County Sheriff’s Deputy Kristen Childress’s preliminary hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, April 12 at Weakley County General Sessions court, but was rescheduled to April 13 at 2 pm at the Weakley County Sheriff’s Office.
On Feb. 22 the 27th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office Investigator Drew Vernon was notified of a DCS referral that alleged that the SRO at Dresden High School was having an inappropriate relationship with a juvenile female student.
Vernon spoke with Captain Robby Hatler of Martin Police Department who agreed to assist in the investigation.
Further investigation resulted in Hatler and Vernon interviewing Weakley County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Kristin Childress on Feb. 23. After being read her Miranda warning, Childress admitted to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old juvenile, both digitally and orally, sometime in the late summer or early fall of 2022. Childress is 28 years old. The incident occurred in Palmersville.
Childress has been terminated as SRO and charged with aggravated statutory rape which is a Class D felony in the State of Tennessee and carries a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of 12 years with fines of up to $5,000.
Weakley County Schools released a statement that said Weakley County Sheriff Terry McDade notified Weakley County Schools that an anonymous tip regarding a School Resource Officer was received by his department and that an investigation has been launched.
The district was informed that representatives of the District Attorney’s Office, Department of Children’s Services, and the Martin Police Department are participating in this joint investigation.
Director of Schools Randy Frazier said, “We’ve been notified by law enforcement that the School Resource Officer is no longer an employee of the Sheriff’s Department. School Resource Officers serve schools at the discretion of the Sheriff’s Department and the Martin Police Department. We will continue to work alongside and fully cooperate with law enforcement throughout the investigation.”
Childress was represented at the hearing today by Lowe Finney and they waived the right to a preliminary hearing.
Waiving the hearing means that the case will proceed just as though she had attended and the judge decided the state had ample evidence to try her. The case will either go to trial or a plea deal could be entered at this point.
The next hearing is scheduled for May 9th at 9 am.
