The Cy-Fair Independent School District is investigating allegations that an employee at Cypress Falls High School had an improper relationship with a student, according to the district.
According to charging documents, Ennis Hernandez, 66, is accused of allegedly inappropriately touching an 18-year-old Life Skills student and showing lewd pictures of himself.
He’s facing three total charges– two counts of improper relationship with a student and one count of sexual performance by a child.
Hernandez is currently being held in the Harris County Jail on a $200,000 total bond – $75,000 for each improper relationship charge and $50,000 for the sexual performance by a child charge.
Officials were notified by the district that the student said Hernandez touched her over her clothes on her breasts and genitals several times, documents read.
According to the victim, who has an IQ of 51, the touching started on Sept. 1, 2022, in the cafeteria during her fourth-period class and continued until January, charging documents read.
The student said Hernandez would sit next to her and touch her leg and other parts, including her back, and kiss her on her forehead. Hernandez allegedly asked for a photo with the victim and told her “not to tell her mother,” documents said.
“The complainant stated the defendant told her not to tell her mom and that it was going to be a secret, and he kissed her on top of the head. The complainant stated that she did not like that. The complainant said that he has been in her classroom since she was in ninth grade, but he did not start touching or showing her pictures until September of 2022,” prosecutors read in court overnight.
Documents also state that the student said Hernandez showed her four inappropriate photos of himself.
Hernandez, who was employed as a Life Skills In-Class Paraprofessional at the school, was arrested and denied any wrongdoing.
According to documents, Hernandez said he “has to touch the students sometimes” and that if he did, it was to “calm the student down.”
An investigation into Hernandez’s phone revealed naked photos of himself and pictures of Life Skills students, including the victim.
Cy-Fair ISD sent a statement that confirms Hernandez is no longer employed at the school amid the allegations:
Mr. Ennis Hernandez was hired on Jan. 3, 2007, as a paraprofessional at Cypress Falls High School. Mr. Hernandez was placed on administrative leave on Feb. 27, 2023, pending a complete investigation by campus administration and law enforcement, after Cypress Falls High School administration was made aware of allegations of an improper relationship with a student. Mr. Hernandez submitted his resignation effective March 28, 2023.
