A Louisiana teacher is facing 25 charges after investigators widened a case that began with a complaint about an inappropriate relationship with a former student. The former fifth-grade teacher, Marisa Noel, 31, was arrested in connection with alleged offenses involving minor students in St. Martin Parish. Authorities say the investigation started on January 28 and remains active as they review additional allegations.
Charges Mount in St. Martin Parish
The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office says Noel faces a broad list of charges, including one count of first-degree rape, 10 counts of indecent behavior with juveniles, two counts related to child sexual abuse material, one count of unlawful communications, and three counts of computer-aided solicitation of a minor. Officials also said the case includes multiple alleged victims and that an additional victim was identified during the investigation. The ages of the victims were not released.
Authorities said Noel was employed at Teche Elementary School at the time of the alleged offenses. She was booked into the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center on Monday and remains held there. Her previous bail was set at $750, 000, and no new bond has been announced for the added charges.
How the investigation widened
The case began after a complaint alleged an inappropriate relationship with one of Noel’s former students. The sheriff’s office says the investigation then expanded with help from the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, leading to enough evidence for arrest on multiple counts tied to juvenile contact and computer-aided solicitation. The phrase teacher now sits at the center of a case that has shifted from a single complaint to a larger criminal inquiry.
A second arrest followed after the additional victim was identified. Cortney Burleigh, 37, of Breaux Bridge, was booked into the St. Martin Parish Jail in connection with the same investigation, which state authorities say stemmed from alleged involvement involving the second victim. The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office said the matter is a joint investigation with local and state agencies.
Official reactions and what remains unclear
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said, “We will continue to support our partners across the State and bring to justice anyone who exploits or sexually abuses the children of Louisiana. ” The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office has said the investigation is ongoing and that it is unclear whether more charges will be filed.
The St. Martin Parish School District and the sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. That leaves several details unresolved, including whether investigators will identify additional alleged victims or bring more counts in the case involving the former teacher.
What happens next
For now, both Noel and Burleigh remain in custody, and the case is still moving through an active investigative phase. With officials saying the inquiry is ongoing, the next developments will likely center on whether prosecutors add charges, whether more evidence emerges, and whether the scope of the alleged conduct expands further. The teacher case is still developing, and authorities have left open the possibility of more action ahead.
