A Warsaw woman was arrested after allegedly having a sexual relationship with a resident at Pierceton Woods Academy.
Dena Sue Patel, 50, of 4209 Kuder Lane, Warsaw, is charged with sexual misconduct by a service provider, a level 5 felony.
She was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 8:44 p.m. Thursday on a $10,250 preliminary bond.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on April 19 a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office detective was assigned an investigation of sexual misconduct by a service provider at Pierceton Woods Academy. The initial report indicated Patel had allegedly entered into a sexual relationship with a resident of the facility since Dec. 12.
The detective learned Patel was employed by Lifeline/Pierceton Woods Academy and supervised a housing unit from May 24, 2022, through May 3, 2023.
During the course of the investigation, the detective received a copy of text messages between Patel and a coworker, where Patel admitted to being in a romantic relationship with the resident. A review of Patel’s text messages revealed Patel spoke with the resident on the phone, where the resident called Patel the resident’s girlfriend. Later, when the resident ended the relationship, the resident texted a friend about it.
Interviews were conducted of other detainees and staff members at Pierceton Woods Academy and it was allegedly reported Patel had a pattern of allowing juvenile detainees to use her cell phone and access the internet. In addition, it was reported by one juvenile, Patel admitted to having a sexual relationship with the resident.
The detective reviewed Pierceton Woods Academy’s surveillance video that showed on April 8, Patel used her fob on her day off to enter the building to the resident’s unit and the camera recorded them walking the grounds together between 9:40 p.m. and 10:16 p.m., when they reappeared in the resident’s unit. During this time, Patel and the resident were off camera alone together two separate times, with the first time being 14 minutes and the second time being 10 minutes.
Patel allegedly used her fob on an additional three times between April 8 and 16 on her scheduled days off to enter the building to the resident’s unit.
On May 12, the detective and a Pierceton Police Department officer interviewed the resident, who said Patel is assigned a different unit than the resident is in. The resident said they had a relationship for approximately four to six weeks. They took about three or four walks together and kissed. The resident also said Patel gave the resident gifts. The resident allegedly flushed the gifts and no longer has contact with Patel.
On May 24, the detective provided an advice of rights waiver to Patel to sign. After reviewing the document, Patel didn’t want to give a statement.