A woman has been arrested for her alleged “involvement” with sex abuse by a Louisiana fifth-grade teacher accused of rape and other sick crimes involving a student who is under 13, according to authorities.
Cortney Burleigh, 37, was arrested last Thursday, a day after teacher Marisa Noel, 31, was hit with a flurry of new charges, including first-degree rape of a young student.
Noel, who taught at Teche Elementary School in Breaux Bridge, had already been charged with disturbing behavior with one of her fifth-grade students when “an additional victim was identified,” officials had said previously while announcing a flurry of new charges, taking the total to 25 counts.
Marisa Noel, 31, remains in custody after being charged with child sex crimes. St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office“That’s when the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation arrested Burleigh on these charges for her involvement in the crime,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office said.
“Burleigh’s arrest is the result of an ongoing joint investigation between the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations involving the sexual abuse a child under the age of 13,” the AG’s office said.
The AG did not elaborate on exactly what role Burleigh allegedly played, or how she was tied to Noel, beyond noting that she “was not a teacher at the school.”
She was arrested on three felony charges, including indecent behavior with juveniles as an accessory after the fact.
She has also been charged with cruelty to juveniles — an offense which carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years in Louisiana — as well as obstruction of justice.
Murrill confirmed the investigation “is still very ongoing.”
Cortney Burleigh has also been arrested as part of the probe. Office of the Louisiana Attorney General¿“We will continue to support our partners across the state and bring to justice anyone who exploits or sexually abuses the children of Louisiana,” she said.
Noel was first arrested last Monday following a two-month probe into her behavior with a fifth-grader at the school.
She was charged with four counts of indecent behavior with juveniles, and the same number for using a computer to solicit a minor.
While in custody, she was rearrested Wednesday on 17 additional charges after cops identified “an additional victim.”
Noel, who faces life in prison if convicted of the rape charge, also faces 10 counts of indecent behavior with juveniles, as well as two counts of having child sexual abuse material.
She was also accused of unlawful communications and harassment and using a computer to solicit a minor.
Noel remains in custody at the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center.
