LAPORTE — A now-former teacher is facing felony charges of having sexual intercourse with a student at his home in LaPorte.
Kody Lowery, 32, is charged in LaPorte Circuit Court with three Level 5 felony counts of child seduction.
He was still being held Monday in the LaPorte County Jail on $20,000 bond after being taken into custody on Friday.
According to court documents, prosecutors accuse Lowery of committing sex on three consecutive days on the weekend of Oct. 13 with the 16-year-old girl at his apartment in LaPorte.
She was one of his students at the Oregon-Davis School Corporation outside Hamlet, Ind.
Authorities at the school and in Starke County law enforcement became involved when a social media rumor began spreading that Lowery and the girl had dinner together on Oct. 13, according to court records.
Initially, police said, Lowery and the girl denied the allegations or gave partial statements.
Eventually, the case was given to LaPorte Police after the girl confided to a friend of the family about the alleged incidents happening at the defendant’s home, prosecutors said in court documents.
At the time, police said, Lowery was staying at The Banks, a development of about 200 resort-type apartments near Clear Lake.
Authorities claim the girl’s description of the apartment matched what the dwelling looked like, while receipts verified the restaurant and pharmacy the girl said they visited while spending time together in LaPorte.
Prosecutors claim Lowery’s mother told investigators her son confessed to her in early December about having sexual intercourse with the girl.
Lowery resigned from his teaching position on Oct. 26, less than six months after he was hired.
Indiana law defines child seduction as when a person who is in a position of trust — such as a teacher, coach, pastor or law enforcement officer — has sexual relations with a child at least four years younger who was entrusted to their care.
That law enables prosecutors to charge people criminally for sexual abuse of children who are 16 or 17, older than Indiana's age of consent but not yet adults and are entrusted to that person.
“Indiana law does not take kindly to people in authority taking advantage of those in some form or fashion in their care,” LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said.
Jail records show Lowery is now living in Michigan City.
Each felony charge carries anywhere from a one- to six-year sentence.
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