A now-former East Texas school employee, who was already facing a sexual assault charge, was arrested again on Friday night.
Anahi Arellano, who worked as an educational aide at Tyler ISD's Bell Elementary, was booked back into the Smith County Jail on an improper relationship with a student charge on Friday, which is two days after she was arrested for sexual assault, arrest records show.
According to the arrest documents, Arellano was arrested after she was caught by a Tyler police officer having sex with a 16-year-old boy inside a car that was parked at a local city park on Wednesday night.
The officer was patrolling when he spotted a vehicle with its headlights on and checked it out. The officer reportedly found Arellano and the minor "clearly nude" in the backseat.
The boy initially identified himself as 19 years old, but after he gave his date of birth, he was confirmed to be 16 years old. Arellano admitted to the officer that the two of them were having sex in the back of the vehicle, the arrest affidavit said.
That night, she was arrested and charged with sexual assault by the Tyler Police Department. She bonded out of jail on that charge.
Two days later, a Tyler ISD Police Department investigation led to her getting charged with improper relationship with a student. She was arrested Friday night and remains jailed.
In a statement released Thursday, Tyler ISD spokesperson Jennifer Hines said Arellano is no longer employed by the district.
"Due to an active investigation and confidential personnel matters, we are unable to comment further on this situation or provide additional details," Hines said. "The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. When the district becomes aware of allegations of this nature, we follow all required state and local protocols and cooperate fully with law enforcement, consistent with the law."
According to the Texas Education Agency, she has an educational aide certificate effective since Aug. 13, 2025. It's currently valid until Aug. 13, 2027.
