Full report: Causey Middle School teacher arrested on child sex abuse charge in Baldwin County

By Kim Lanier

January 14, 2010, 6:22AM

Charles Milton Lewis Jr., 50, of Summerdale, was booked into the Baldwin County Corrections Center charged with sexual abuse of a child under age 12, Baldwin Sheriff’s spokesman Maj. Anthony Lowery said in a news release.

BAY MINETTE, Ala. — A teacher at Causey Middle School in west Mobile was arrested Tuesday evening on a child sexual abuse charge in Baldwin County while on paid administrative leave involving a drunken-driving arrest last week, officials said.

Charles Milton Lewis Jr., 50, of Summerdale, was booked into the Baldwin County Corrections Center charged with sexual abuse of a child under age 12, Baldwin Sheriff’s spokesman Maj. Anthony Lowery said in a news release.

Lewis, Causey’s teacher of the year for 2008-09, was picked up Jan. 4 on a DUI offense, jail records show. He was released on $1,000 bail on that charge, but further details were not available Wednesday.

Mobile County school system officials said Lewis has been on administrative leave since Jan. 6, following the DUI arrest, which occurred while he was on his way to work.

In the latest case, the alleged victim, a 9-year-old boy, is an acquaintance of Lewis, sheriff’s officials said.

Lewis allegedly offered alcohol to the boy, and also is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to Sheriff Huey “Hoss” Mack.

The boy said Lewis touched him inappropriately and offered him alcohol while the child spent the night in Lewis’ home in July, according to the news release.

The disclosure came about when the boy overheard his mother on the telephone talking about Lewis being arrested. The boy asked his mother about Lewis’ drinking and eventually revealed the alleged incident of sexual abuse, the release said.

The release also said that Lewis admitted to having touched the boy, but that it was unintentional.

The Sheriff’s Office has been investigating the case for several days, Lowery said Wednesday.

Bail was set at $60,000, and Lewis remained in jail Wednesday afternoon, records indicated.

Lowery was unable to give further details as to why the boy had spent the night with Lewis, other than he was a family friend.

“There were no red flags. It was an unfortunate situation,” Lowery said.

School system officials in Mobile said Lewis had no reports of inappropriate behavior in his file.

“The only comment we can make is that he is on paid administrative leave,” said school system spokeswoman Nancy Pierce.

Lewis, a native Mobilian, has taught sixth-grade science and reading at Causey since 2001 and has taught in Mobile County schools for 18 years, according to his biography on Causey Middle’s Web site.

At Causey, he served as science fair coordinator and on a number of committees, including the discipline and budget committees. Lewis achieved Highly Qualified teaching status in all core academic subjects, including Reading 1-6.

The B.C. Rain High School graduate previously taught at South Brookley Elementary and Baker Elementary.

SOURCE:  http://blog.al.com/live/2010/01/teacher_arrested_on_child_sex.html