A guidance counselor at Westdale Middle School was found dead Wednesday at the vacant campus of Glen Oaks Middle School from "a self-inflicted gunshot wound."
Quinton Dixon, 44, committed suicide a day after Baton Rouge Police issued a warrant for his arrest on four counts of indecent behavior with juveniles, a felony.
Dixon was Placed on Leave, Investigated After an Anonymous Person Shared the Inappropriate Messages He Sent to the Minor with the School Authorities
Dixon was placed on leave from his job on Jan. 15 after the East Baton Rouge Parish school system received a series of suggestive messages Dixon allegedly sent to a 14-year-old girl who had previously been a student at Westdale Middle.
Baton Rouge Police confirmed that the suicide occurred at Glen Oaks Middle School, a mostly demolished 19-acre campus at 5200 Monarch Avenue, and that it occurred outdoors. The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner's Office confirmed Thursday that the person found there was Dixon and that it was a suicide, but released no additional details.
School officials said that Dixon was still officially on leave when he died Wednesday. Dixon had been a school district employee since August 2022.
Dixon was placed on leave and became the subject of a police investigation after someone anonymously posted on social media several messages that Dixon allegedly sent to an unidentified 14-year-old girl. That same individual also shared those messages with the school system.
Dixon Asked the Minor if She Had a Boyfriend, Told Her How Attractive She is and Hinted at the Two of Them Developing a Romantic Relationship
According to the arrest warrant, Dixon was accused of sending the former Westdale Middle students a series of Instagram messages between November and early January.
The messages were "consistent with grooming behavior in pursuit of an intimate relationship with the minor victim." In the warrant, police said they made multiple unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with Dixon on his cellphone.
In the messages, Dixon asks the girl if she has a boyfriend, tells the girl how attractive she is and hints that the two should develop a romantic relationship, according to the warrant. The warrant noted that the girl told authorities the messages began after Dixon saw her walking home from school and stopped his vehicle to talk to her, requesting her contact information.
Parish School System Releases Statement
The parish school system also released a statement following Dixon's death. "We extend our condolences to the school community, family and loved ones as they process this information during this difficult time," according to the statement. "Out of respect for the privacy of students and the integrity of ongoing matters, we are unable to share additional details about the employee."
