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ST. GEORGE — A St. George school teacher was charged with child sex abuse Wednesday after a woman told police she was molested in elementary school in the '90s.
Curtis Payne, 59, taught in the Washington County School District for 32 years and was currently teaching at Sunrise Ridge Intermediate School in St. George when he was arrested Tuesday, according to Washington County School District spokesman Steven Dunham.
Payne was teaching at Sunset Elementary School in St. George at the time of the alleged abuse, Dunham said.
Payne was charged Wednesday with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
The St. George police began investigating Payne in December when a woman came forward with allegations of inappropriate conduct while she was in elementary school in the '90s, according to Dunham.
The woman told police she was molested by Payne, her fourth-grade teacher, when she attended Sunset Elementary, according to jail records. She states that Payne would allow her to sit on his lap behind his desk and would grope her genitals. Payne touched her over and under her clothing three or four times, the woman told police.
The woman also recalled Payne sitting next to her during multiple class movies and touching her under her shirt and groping her chest and genitals, according to jail records. She also told police that Payne grabbed her during a pool party at someone's house and rubbed her genitals over and under her swimsuit.
Police interviewed Payne who said he remembered the woman as one of his former students. He denies the allegations.
"We've tried to cooperate with police throughout the investigation," Dunham said. "We've tried to keep a close eye on Mr. Payne without letting him know he was being investigated by police."
Any parents or students with concerns or additional information about Payne can contact the St. George Police Department at 435-627-4338.
The investigation is still ongoing. While police say they can't release more information at this time, the case is more than just a "he-said, she-said" situation.
Payne is currently on administrative leave.
This article will be updated when more information becomes available.
