Teacher who allegedly sent nude photos to 15-year-old boy resigns from Texas school: Reports

An eighth grade teacher in Texas resigned after being arrested on Friday for allegedly sending sexually explicit messages and photos to a 15-year-old on Instagram, according to multiple reports.

Christine Paige Cockrell, an earth science teacher at Gatesville Junior High School, faces charges of indecency with a child and possession of child pornography with intent to distribute, according to a criminal complaint obtained by local outlets including KXXV and KWTX.

The 15-year-old high school student told the Gatesville Independent School District on April 11 about him and Cockrell exchanging nude photos and sexting since October 2023, the Waco, Texas-based TV stations reported.

The teenager said Cockrell sent him "nude photographs of her breasts" and requested he send "nude photographs of himself," according to the complaint.

Cockrell 'admitted to messaging students on Instagram'

When school district officials questioned Cockrell about the accusations, she “admitted to messaging students on Instagram but could not recall whether a photograph of her breasts had been sent in the chats," KWTX reported.

The nude photographs were sent between Oct. 8, 2023, and Nov. 11, 2023, the complaint reportedly said. During this time, Cockrell and the teenager talked about "meeting up for sex" but they never did, the court filing continued.

The teenager said he and Cockrell began talking sexually on Instagram in the middle of his eighth grade year in January 2023, KWTX said.

Cockrell told 15-year-old about 'her past sexual partners'

Cockrell also told the teenager about "her past sexual partners" and interests local outlets reported, citing the complaint.

"Christine mentioned that she wanted to take a ‘younger guy under her wing and teach him stuff, like 16 years old,'" the complaint says, according to KWTX.

Cockrell then asked the teenager questions about his genitalia, the TV station reported.

Former student told authorities Cockrell propositioned him for sex

When authorities interviewed Cockrell, she allegedly revealed that a former student propositioned her for sex, the complaint said.

Detectives contacted the former student and learned that around his 17th birthday on March 4, 2023, that Cockrell messaged him on Instagram saying he was "cute," according to the complaint. When the student told the teacher he was in high school, she replied, "No one has to know," the court filing said per KWTX.

Cockrell resigned from Gatesville ISD

Gatesville ISD said on May 3 it had placed Cockrell, whom it did not identify at the time, on administrative leave pending an investigation, Fox 44 reported. Soon after, Cockrell submitted her resignation and is prohibited from being on district property, according to the TV station.

There are currently no allegations of inappropriate contact, Gatesville ISD told Fox 44. The district also said it will continue to work with law enforcement.

USA TODAY contacted Gatesville ISD on Tuesday but did not receive an immediate response. The Gatesville Police Department referred USA TODAY to the Gatesville ISD Police Department.

Cockrell posted a $20,000 bond on Saturday and was released from the Coryell County Jail, Fox 44 said.