A 16-year-old girl has testified she seduced a Hamilton County school resource officer, telling a judge she became “suicidal” when authorities found out about their sexual relationship.
“I (was) flirty with him. He never forced himself on me,” the girl insisted of her friendship with officer Jeff Baker, who worked at East Ridge Middle School. He now is on unpaid administrative leave.
The girl testified Wednesday at a preliminary hearing for Mr. Baker in Hamilton County General Sessions Court. He is charged with two counts of aggravated statutory rape.
The friendship began when the girl was 13 and still a student at the middle school, she said in testimony before Judge David Bales. She asked Mr. Baker at the time to help her with troubles she was having with another girl. She also asked him to help her dig up dirt on her mother’s boyfriend, who she didn’t like, she said.
“He was just really helpful,” she said, describing how Mr. Baker pulled the criminal history of the boyfriend for her and occasionally would send her text messages to make sure she came to school.