A former Austin ISD employee, Rodney Tyrone Childers, is facing new felony charges after a second student victim was discovered during an investigation into an improper relationship with a different student. Childers, who was employed at LBJ Early College High School at the time of the incidents, has been charged with improper relationship between an educator and student, a second-degree felony, concerning the second victim.
Court documents reveal that Childers is now facing a total of 10 charges, including multiple counts related to the first student victim as well. During an interview with Austin ISD Police Department detectives, Childers confessed to engaging in inappropriate behavior not only with the first student victim but also with the newly discovered second victim.
Childers admitted to sending nude photographs and video recordings to the second victim through a location-based chat and dating app. Detectives obtained records from the app for Childers’ account via a search warrant, which revealed message conversations and explicit photos and videos sent to the student. One conversation included Childers instructing the student to keep their interactions a secret.
The student victim confirmed receiving sexually explicit material from Childers and admitted to sending some of their own as well. They stated that all communication with Childers was strictly through chat on the dating app and that there was no physical contact between them.
Additionally, some of the photos and videos obtained by detectives showed Childers in his LBJ High School office. The charges against Childers related to the second student victim add to the six other charges he is already facing, which include improper relationship between an educator and student, indecency with a child, and child grooming.
KXAN reached out to an attorney connected with Childers for a statement on his behalf, but no response has been received yet. The investigation into these disturbing incidents is ongoing, and further updates may be provided as the case develops.
