Police say Ravenswood High School's band teacher allegedly sexually abused a female band student.
Nathaniel Martin Corathers, 28, of Sandyville, is charged with sexual abuse by a parent/guardian/person in a position of trust, according to a criminal complaint filed in Jackson County Magistrate Court.
The girl's parents alerted police when they noticed a large amount of text messages between the teacher and student, and read one that was of a sexual nature.
The parents also told police the girl suffers from mental health problems, which police believe may have contributed to Corathers' "grooming" of the child, the release says.
The alleged abuse involved physical contact, including at school, as well as phone contact, according to the complaint.