Former Madison County Assistant Principal Arrested for Sexual Contact with Teen

Berea Police said they received two complaints of harassment but when officers started to dig deeper, they learned much more and Joy Hayes was arrested.

Officers said a girl, 17, claims she was being harassed by Hayes.  Police said the girl told them Hayes also had sexual contact with her and assaulted her sometime late last year.

Hayes was the assistant principal at Madison Southern High School, where the two reported victims when to school.

Police said Hayes resigned from the high school in December 2013 and that the incidents happened after she left.

ABC 36 is told Hayes got a job with the Gear-Up program at Berea College and police said she would still go to Madison Southern High School as part of her new job.

 “It is an ongoing case,” said Sgt. Jake Reed with the Berea Police Department.  “There is still evidence to log and things like that.  We’re working with social services as well so it’s always possible that more things could come from it.”
 
Before working in Madison County, Hayes was principal at Lexington Traditional Magnet School.
 
Berea College said Hayes was placed on administrative leave and later fired after she was arrested for stalking and harassment in September.
 
A spokesperson for the school released this statement:
 
Officials at Berea College are aware that Joy Hayes, a former employee of the College, has been charged in connection with alleged criminal offenses involving minors.  Ms. Hayes left her employment as an assistant principal at Madison Southern High School to work with the College’s Gear Up program in January 2014.  Ms. Hayes worked with school employees to implement programs designed to help more students move from high school to college.  Her responsibilities did not include direct interaction with students.

On September 11, 2014, college officials were informed that Ms. Hayes had been arrested and charged with stalking and harassing communications.  Ms. Hayes was immediately placed on administrative leave and subsequently terminated on September 13, 2014. 

This morning, college officials learned additional charges have been brought against Ms. Hayes. The college will continue to cooperate with law enforcement officials investigating the matter. 

Madison County Schools said it is working with police to figure out what is going on.
 
Hayes declined a jailhouse interview with ABC 36.