Washington State Teacher Charged with Incest

A teacher in Washington state has been charged for allegedly engaging in sexual relations with two teenage boys who were adopted by her. Amber Swain, 35, from Newport, was taken into custody on Tuesday on charges of first and second degree incest, according to the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office. Swain worked at Pend Oreille River School, which is an alternative high school in the Newport School District. Following her arrest, she was placed on administrative leave.

The school district issued a statement emphasizing their serious approach to the situation, mentioning that they are cooperating with law enforcement as they look into the matter. The investigation began after the Department of Children, Youth and Families alerted the sheriff’s office on May 18 regarding possible sexual abuse involving two male adolescents, aged 17 and 18, that had taken place several months prior.

Investigators later interviewed the two teenagers as well as Swain. During these interviews, one of the boys reportedly shared that he and Swain had sexual encounters “on numerous occasions,” including just days before the meeting with investigators.

Detectives found sufficient cause to arrest Swain after discovering text messages exchanged between her and one of the teens. Initially, she denied having any sexual relationships with them but later acknowledged engaging in a relationship with one of the boys after he turned 18 in February. Interestingly, she admitted to investigators that “the timeline could be messed up,” suggesting some confusion on her part.

Another teen victim disclosed to detectives that Swain had touched her multiple times while they were in bed together in May but stopped before it went further. There’s also an allegation that Swain attempted to reach one of the boys from the detention center during his arrest, which adds another layer of complexity to the case.

The Pend Oreilles County Prosecuting Attorney has urged that Swain’s bail be set at $50,000 due to public safety concerns. Meanwhile, Swain’s public defender argued for her release, noting she has no prior criminal record and suggested that her living separately from the teens would address safety worries.