MAGNOLIA, Ark. (AP) - A school teacher who police say rented motel rooms for a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl to have sex with others has been arrested on numerous charges.
Donna Sanders, 46, of Magnolia was arrested on 12 counts of permitting abuse of a minor and 12 counts of accomplice to rape. She was jailed in the Columbia County Jail on a $100,000 bond after her arrest Wednesday. She resigned that same day from her job as special education teacher.
The sheriff's office would not say whether Sanders was still being held Friday afternoon.
Police Chief Robert Gorum said the investigation began after a parent called Magnolia School Superintendent John Moore to inquire about a rumor involving Sanders and the two girls. Gorum said the superintendent contacted police, who then interviewed Sanders.
The police chief said Sanders admitted to the allegations.
Also, a 21-year-old Union County man was wanted on a rape charge. Two male juveniles suspected of being involved have not been charged. Gorum said one of them may be considered a victim.
"There's no motive for it. Why? That's what we can't figure out. (Sanders) got no sexual gratification out of it, no monetary gain out of it. Why would she do this? I don't understand," Gorum said.
Police allege that Sanders rented motel rooms in El Dorado for the girls, left them overnight, and returned the next day and picked them up. She also provided alcoholic beverages to the juveniles, Gorum said. The incidents took place over seven months, beginning in September, all in Union County. Magnolia is in Columbia County.
"It's a terrible thing to happen," Gorum said. "You've got two lives who are going to be traumatized for life. They're going to have to live with this. It's going to be awful and it's going to be hard. That's the worst part."
Police seized a laptop computer from Sanders' home and a computer that she used at Magnolia Junior High School. Her husband, Magnolia High School assistant principal Terry Sanders, was not implicated in the case.
El Dorado Police Capt. David Smith said the El Dorado police were assisting in the case.
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Information from: The Banner-News, http://epaper.ardemgaz.com/daily/skins/magnolia/welcome.asp?qs=
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