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Ex-teacher who dodged conviction for allegedly asking teen lover to kill husband learns fate for sexually assaulting student
A former teacher in Kentucky — who was accused of asking her underage lover to kill her husband — has learned her fate for sexually assaulting a jailed minor.
In April, 28-year-old Elena Bardin was arrested and initially charged with three counts of sexual abuse, solicitation of murder, and distribution of obscene material, according to a court records citation People magazine obtained. Following her arrest, Bardin was hit with three counts of unlawful transaction with a minor.
'I know you say you'll take care of him, but shouldn't someone else do it so suspicion is miles away from you?'
Kentucky State Police said in an April statement that Bardin "solicited a male juvenile at the Adair Juvenile Detention Center to kill her husband."
But a jury acquitted Bardin of the charge of soliciting the teen to murder her husband.
However, in September, Bardin was convicted of one count each of first-degree sexual abuse, unlawful transaction with a minor, and distribution of obscene material to a minor.
People said the defendant's estranged husband, Michael Bardin, and the alleged victim both testified against Bardin for the prosecution.
Last week, a judge sentenced Bardin to four years in prison for first-degree sexual abuse, 10 years for unlawful transaction with a minor, and 12 months for the distribution of obscene material to a minor; the sentences are to be served concurrently. Bardin also was ordered to register as a sex offender for 20 years, according to Court TV.
During sentencing, Circuit Judge Samuel Spalding noted there were 193 pages of "letters, pictures, and everything else," which he described as "juicy."
"The letters you sent ... they were juicy, they were things you'd see in a triple-X movie, and completely inappropriate, obviously, and I think you know that, for a young man that age," Judge Spalding stated, according to WKRC-TV.
Spalding continued, "And for an educator, it was incumbent upon you to set a better example. I will say, though, the 193 pages of letters, pictures, everything else, it depicts a very intelligent and articulate young woman who was clearly articulating her thoughts and desires to this kid."
Bardin — a reported mother of a 5-year-old girl — had been an English teacher at the Adair County Juvenile Detention Center, where the victim was detained.
The Kentucky State Police said, "Evidence also revealed that Ms. Bardin had subjected the juvenile to illegal sexual contact and provided him with sexually explicit images of herself."
Citing testimony from Bardin's supervisor at the juvenile detention center, the judge added that the former teacher had been warned to end the relationship and stay away from the teen. Judge Spalding reportedly stressed that the student had been moved to another section of the detention center.
"And, ma'am, not only did you not heed that advice and stop, it looks to me like you actually doubled down on the behavior after that, and that is concerning," Spalding alleged.
Prosecutors accused Bardin of having a sexual relationship with the 17-year-old student who was detained at the juvenile facility.
The Kentucky State Police stated, "On March 27, 2025, the Adair Juvenile Detention Center conducted a routine search of juveniles' living units where letters and explicit material were found in a male juvenile's possession sent by an Adair County School teacher assigned to the facility."
The Union-Bulletin reported, "According to prosecutors, in one of the letters confiscated by investigators, Bardin talks about oral sex and having sex in the boy's cell."
"I hope you enjoyed that. I did," Bardin reportedly wrote in a letter to the minor, according to the Union-Bulletin.
Another letter written by Bardin allegedly said, "I know you say you'll take care of him, but shouldn’t someone else do it so suspicion is miles away from you? IDK, I'm going to miss you so (redacted) bad tonight. You look so handsome today, love. I love you."
In April, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported that the Adair County school district listed Bardin — with her first name spelled "Elana" — as a teacher at the Adair Learning Academy, which is part of the Adair Youth Development Center.
The youth development center operates in conjunction with the regional juvenile detention center, the Herald-Leader said, citing the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice. Adair Superintendent Jason Faulkner told the paper that Bardin was an employee of the district and that she had been terminated.
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Kentucky sues Roblox over Charlie Kirk 'assassination simulators'
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman has alleged that online gaming platform Roblox has not protected children from abhorrent content.
Coleman filed a lawsuit on Monday, claiming that Roblox has allowed minors to be exposed to "animated bloody" content surrounding the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
'We constantly monitor all communication for critical harms.'
The lawsuit, posted by Fox News Digital, accuses the massive online gaming community of operating under insufficient guardrails in terms of denying children access to certain materials. This includes violence, sexually explicit materials, and alleged "Charlie Kirk 'assassination simulator[s].'"
Blaze News previously reported that as of Q2 2024, Roblox had a claimed 79 million active daily users, an increase of almost 15 million from the same time in 2023. This included approximately 58% of its user base being under 16 years old, which equates to at least 46 million children.
The alleged assassination simulators "began popping up on Roblox, allowing children as young as 5 years old to access animated bloody depictions of the September 10 shooting," the lawsuit stated.
Roblox could easily "require users to verify their age and their parents' consent by virtually any mechanism, including merely asking for these data," the legal document continued. "Doing so would create at least some restriction on the content available to users under 18 years old."
- YouTube
"As such, child predators can — and do — establish accounts to pose as children," Kentucky wrote.
In response to the lawsuit, a Roblox spokesperson told Blaze News that the company welcomes the opportunity for a direct conversation with the Attorney General about the topic. However, the company also said that some of the parties involved are seeking financial gain.
"The attorney general's lawsuit is based on outdated and out-of-context information," Roblox said. "We believe together we can increase safety not just on Roblox, but on all platforms used by kids and teens. The AG's office is partnering with plaintiff's attorneys, who we believe have misrepresented matters to seek financial gain."
The spokesperson added, "Roblox has taken an industry-leading stance on age-based communication and will require facial age estimation for all Roblox users who access our communications features by the end of this year. Roblox does not allow image sharing via chat, and most chat on Roblox is subject to filters designed to block the sharing of personal information. We constantly monitor all communication for critical harms and swiftly remove violative content when detected and work closely with law enforcement."
Roblox pointed to more information about its efforts to implement age verification, which undoubtedly would confirm a user's age, but also could deter platform usage altogether.
This includes verification through selfie-videos, the aforementioned "facial age estimation," ID, or verified parental consent.
RELATED: Kids 'cosplaying as ICE agents' and performing raids on 'illegals' in Roblox game
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The sheer volume of Roblox users makes any enforcement incredibly difficult to pull off without pre-existing barriers to entry, monitoring, or filtration systems. This brings up further issues surrounding digital ID, including, for example, the exposure of children's likenesses.
At the same time, gamers are constantly finding new ways to develop ridiculous scenarios on the platform, such as performing ICE raids or in-game protests. There also exists the threat of bad actors grouping together to discuss crimes or make terror plots.
Roblox told Blaze News that it includes rigorous text chat filters to stop inappropriate contact with minors.
Additionally, the company said that while it started as a "platform for children," 64% of the user base is now over 13 years old.
Blaze News did find several videos on YouTube appearing to be re-creations of Kirk's assassination within the video game.
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'If I ever cross paths with him ... I will kill him where he stands': Dad sends warning after his son's killer gets big break
Ronald Exantus drove from Indianapolis to Versailles, Kentucky, on Dec. 7, 2015, and entered a home through an unlocked door, investigators told WKYT-TV.
It was before dawn, and authorities told the Associated Press that Exantus grabbed a large kitchen knife he found in the home and went to an upstairs bedroom where 6-year-old Logan Tipton was sleeping.
'I laid in bed. I gave up. I gave up on life. I gave up on my family. I gave up on everybody. I just wanted to die.'
Koral Tipton, Logan’s sister, told WDKY-TV that she "woke up, and I heard Logan screaming, and all I could see was a man, a big man, over top of him, stabbing him.”
Logan’s father, Dean Tipton, also had been sleeping but leaped into action after hearing the hollering.
“He snaps, just snaps, and stands up with me sitting on top of him, and he throws me across the room," Dean Tipton told WDKY. "I mean, maybe 10-15 feet he throws me across the room and goes after [Koral]."
Exantus ended up attacking Dean Tipton and his two daughters that night, too, injuring all of them, WKYT reported — but little Logan didn't make it.
Dean Tipton held his son during his final moments, WDKY said: “He was gasping for air; I was holding him deep in my arms. And finally, he took his last breath, looked at me, closed his eyes, and he was gone.”
After that night, Dean Tipton said he lost the will to live, tearfully telling WLKY that "I laid in bed. I gave up. I gave up on life. I gave up on my family. I gave up on everybody. I just wanted to die."
In 2018, Exantus was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity but was convicted of assaulting other family members, WDKY said. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, WKYT said.
Then, as of last week, Exantus was released from prison for good behavior, WDKY reported.
Set free from behind bars 13 years early.
As you likely would conclude, the Tipton family was furious upon hearing the news.
“He did it. He did it in front of me. He did it in front of my siblings," Koral Tipton told WKYT. "And being an older sister, who has the obligation anyway to protect her younger siblings, it’s just, he ruined, he messed us up."
Dean Tipton told WDKY that Extanus said "he was going to kill every one of us. So now, I’ve got to be on extra guard to protect my kids because I will not lose another one, not like this.”
And as you also could likely imagine, Logan's dad issued a chilling promise if he ever runs into Extanus again.
“I’ve had my talks with God 'cause I’m not afraid to tell you all, I told the court — if I ever cross paths with him, I will kill the man," he told WLKY on the station's video report. "I will kill him where he stands."
According to WKYT, the Kentucky Justice Cabinet released the following statement in regard to Exantus’ release:
The Parole Board did not release Ronald Exantus on parole. Exantus was reviewed for parole on 09/30/2025, as required by state law. The Parole Board issued a decision that Exantus stay in prison for the remainder of his sentence.
Despite this decision, a provision in Kentucky law required the Department of Corrections to release the inmate on Mandatory Reentry Supervision (KRS 439.3406).
Exantus will remain under probation and parole supervision until his sentence ends next year, WLKY said, adding that he will serve his mandatory re-entry supervision in Florida.
In addition, the White House confirmed an investigation into Exantus' release: "It’s wholly unacceptable for a child killer to walk free after just several years in prison," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X Saturday morning.
Logan’s mom, Heather Tipton, added to WDKY that she also made a vow.
“I made myself promise I wasn’t going to let this tear us apart, because statistically, Dean and I should be divorced, or our family should have just broken apart at the seams statistically," she told the station. "And I made a promise that that wasn’t going to happen, and I’m not going to let it happen.”
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Female accused of trashing Little Caesars store, causing over $1,000 in damages — after being told extra sauce would cost $1
A female is accused of trashing a Little Caesars pizza place in Louisville, Kentucky, and causing $1,000 in damages, after a store employee informed her that extra sauce would cost $1, WDRB-TV reported.
Breanna Haynes placed the phone order, then traveled to Little Caesars to pick it up, the station said, citing court documents.
'Can't afford a buck for sauce? Maybe you shouldn't be buying pizza then.'
However, when Haynes asked for extra sauce with her order, an employee told her that would run her an extra dollar, WDRB reported.
More from the station:
Police said Haynes "created a disturbance in the store" and began knocking things off of the counter, including a custom-made computer stand and the computer register — which totaled over $1,000 in damages.
Haynes left the store, but employees were able to provide Louisville police with her name after comparing video surveillance with a known picture.
Haynes was charged with criminal mischief in connection with the January incident, but she wasn't arrested until late last month, WDRB said.
Haynes on Sept. 22 allegedly threw a brick at a car belonging to the father of her child because he wanted to move back to Cincinnati, the station said, citing court documents.
Police said Haynes' alleged brick-throwing caused more than $1,000 in damages, and she was charged with assault and criminal mischief, WDRB reported.
Numerous commenters on the station's Facebook post about the incident reacted incredulously to it:
- "That must be some good sauce!" one commenter wrote.
- "I guess she’d rather pay $1,000 plus lawyers instead of just giving up the dollar," another commenter observed. "Smh, wish I had that kind of money."
- "Stay home if you don't know how to behave in public," another commenter advised.
- "Can't afford a buck for sauce?" another commenter noted. "Maybe you shouldn't be buying pizza then."
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