Monica Grady, a former teacher at New Hope Middle School, was arrested Thursday and charged with child grooming following an investigation by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, authorities said.
The sheriff’s office said child grooming is defined under Mississippi law, Section 97-5-32, as a pattern of conduct or a series of messages a reasonable adult would recognize as an attempt to lure, persuade or coerce a child under 16 into an inappropriate, sexualized or illegal relationship. The provision was added by House Bill 1308 in 2025.
Investigators said school administrators met with Grady Wednesday after concerns that she had provided minor students with alcohol and tobacco products. The sheriff’s office said Grady and the Lowndes County School District subsequently separated employment. Investigators executed a search warrant at Grady’s residence Thursday and took her into custody without incident.
The sheriff’s office said Grady is accused of providing alcohol and tobacco to multiple students and of engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a minor. No identifying information about the student or students will be released. The case remains under investigation, and additional charges may be forthcoming. The sheriff’s office is working with school officials and the District Attorney’s Office. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
