Female ex-teacher, cheerleading coach indicted, accused of sexual misconduct with student
A female ex-teacher and cheerleading coach in Alabama has been indicted after allegedly having sex with a student, a local report states.
Citing court documents, 1819 News reported that police arrested 32-year-old Makaela Caldwell Hodgins of Woodland on a $30,000 bond.
Students under 19 cannot consent to sexual relations with school employees in Alabama.
Hodgins pleaded not guilty during an initial court appearance, 1819 News reported.
Mike Segrest — district attorney of Alabama's 5th Judicial Circuit — told Blaze News the grand jury indictment occurred Sept. 12, Hodgins turned herself in Sept. 15, and her next court date is Oct. 28 in Randolph County. Segrest told Blaze News he believes Hodgins posted bond. She is not listed in the Randolph County Jail roster.
The former teacher is accused of sexually abusing a male student under the age of 19, the outlet reported, citing charging documents, adding that the alleged victim's age was not disclosed. Segrest told Blaze News he couldn't disclose the juvenile student's age but noted that there would have been additional charges against her if the student was younger than 16.
According to Alabama state law, school employees are prohibited from engaging in sex acts with students under the age of 19, and students under 19 cannot consent to sexual relations with school employees in Alabama.
In Alabama, the charge of a school employee engaging in a sex act with a student who is under the age of 19 years is a Class B felony, and it carries a minimum sentence of two years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars.
Hodgins reportedly had been a teacher at Randolph County High School in Wedowee. However, she's no longer employed with the Randolph County School System, a school official stated.
"Ms. Hodgins began working for Randolph County School System on August 2, 2021. Her last day in the classroom was November 15, 2024. We will cooperate with local authorities as requested," Randolph County Schools Superintendent John Jacobs told the New York Post.
However, Segrest told Blaze News her departure from the school was unrelated to the allegations against her.
In March 2022, Randolph County High School announced on its official Facebook page that Hodgins was named cheerleading coach.
"Mrs. Hodgins grew up here in Randolph County and was a cheerleader for six years at Woodland. She served as captain her senior year. She is an alumna of the University of West Alabama, where she cheered on a scholarship from 2011-2013," the announcement reads. "She will graduate with her Master's of Education from UWA in May."
The Facebook post adds that "she has been involved in many aspects of coaching cheer for the past ten years through judging try-outs, conducting cheer camps, and choreographing routines."
The announcement also says Hodgins is "married to her college sweetheart" and has two children.
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Gun-toting woman opens fire on career criminal amid alleged home burglary. Now crook's career is over.
An Alabama woman fatally shot a male amid an alleged home burglary Sunday night in Decatur, WZDX-TV reported.
A dispatch call indicated a woman said her house was being robbed, and that a male was heard screaming in the background.
State records show Brinkley served time for offenses, including first-degree robbery, third-degree burglary, possession of a pistol by a convicted felon, and distribution of a controlled substance, WZDX noted.
WAFF-TV said it picked up the following from a dispatch phone call: “10-4 units responding to the burglary in progress, 22nd Avenue caller now advising it was a black male wearing a white shirt armed with a firearm. The caller now advises she has shot that male; he is currently laying on the ground.”
A dispatch call also noted the woman shot the male in the chest and that he was "not conscious, not breathing."
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Decatur police officers responded around 7:30 p.m. to the report of a burglary in progress in the 1200 block of 22nd Avenue SW, and police said they were informed the caller shot the male suspect, WZDX reported.
When officers arrived, the male was found inside the residence with apparent gunshot wounds, and Morgan County Coroner Jeff Chunn pronounced him dead at the scene, WZDX noted.
Chunn on Tuesday identified the male as 46-year-old Narado Brinkley, and WZDX said his criminal past includes drug and burglary convictions.
State records show Brinkley served time for offenses, including first-degree robbery, third-degree burglary, possession of a pistol by a convicted felon, and distribution of a controlled substance, WZDX noted.
His records also indicate multiple probation violations, and he most recently served five months after a 2023 conviction on drug and burglary counts, WZDX added.
RELATED: Mother hid from home invader in closet with her baby — then shot thug in the head, police say
WZDX said the alleged shooter cooperated with investigators and was released with no charges at this time.
However, the station noted that the incident remains under investigation and will be referred to the Morgan County District Attorney’s Office for grand jury consideration.
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Charlie Kirk assassination inspires famed ESPN commentator to run for Senate — as a conservative
ESPN host and analyst Paul Finebaum might run for office because of Charlie Kirk despite never being involved in politics.
The SEC Network personality and host of "The Paul Finebaum Show" said in a recent interview that he is "considering" leaving the Disney-owned network to run for the United States Senate.
'I felt very empty doing what I was doing that day.'
Perhaps surprisingly, Finebaum said that he would run on the Republican ticket in Alabama, finding inspiration after Kirk was assassinated on Sept. 10.
"I spent four hours numb, talking about things that didn't matter to me. And it kept building throughout that weekend," Finebaum said.
"I felt very empty doing what I was doing that day."
Finebaum continued, "It's hard to describe, not being involved in politics ... how that affected me and affected tens of millions of people all over this country. And it was an awakening."
Seemingly revealing his political affiliation for the first time, Finebaum said he is a "registered Republican in North Carolina as of this hour. And I was a registered Republican in Alabama before I moved."
Finebaum also told OutKick's Clay Travis in the interview that he voted for President Donald Trump, but "they also tell us not to discuss that."
As for the potential seat, Finebaum said after talking to "someone ... who made it clear that there was a desire for me to be involved," he is now considering a seat in Alabama. That seat will be vacated by Senator Tommy Tuberville (R), who has his eye on becoming the state's governor.
Finebaum also revealed to Travis the reason he was so reluctant in the first place.
When Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl was initially rumored to run for Tuberville's seat, Finebaum said he was "hesitant" and did not take the idea of running "too seriously."
Eventually, however, the person he spoke to was so "compelling and compassionate in the approach" that Finebaum began to think about running.
"One or two people in Washington had reached out to me about whether I would be interested in politics, something I'd never thought about before. Something I didn't really think possible," the analyst continued.
"I gave some thought to it as the weekend [after Kirk's murder] unfolded ... and got a little bit more interested."
Born in Tennessee, the college sports host went into greater detail about why Alabama would be the best fit for him, besides the obvious reason of the vacancy.
"Alabama has always been the place I've felt the most welcome, that I've cared the most about the people. I've spoken to people from Alabama for 35 years, and I feel there is a connection that is hard to explain," he noted.
BlazeTV host Steve Deace said he believes Finebaum "absolutely has the name ID to win a primary."
"Which means winning the election in Alabama," Deace said.
Regarding the idea of yet another sports personality getting into Alabama politics, Deace commented, "I'm fine with people in sports getting involved in politics, as long as they agree with me and know what time it is. It would be delicious irony for woke ESPN to produce a senator inspired by my friend Charlie Kirk's boldness."
ESPN declined to comment on the situation. Finebaum's show did not return a request for comment.
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