UPDATE: Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.
A Madison County school teacher and coach has been arrested and charged with first-degree sexual abuse of a student who was 10 years old at the time of the alleged incident.
Charles Hamilton, 40, is accused of inappropriately touching the student during the 2018-2019 school year. The victim, now 17, reported the incident to authorities.
According to a warrant of arrest, the victim said Hamilton inappropriately touched her when she asked him to accompany her to the bathroom during a power outage at the school. She said she was scared of the dark.
"When she left the stall, Hamilton then reached down and touched her over her clothes and asked her if 'This was okay,'" the warrant states.
Madison County Schools officials said Hamilton was placed on leave September 8 — the day the Department of Community Based Services notified them about the investigation. In a statement, the district said he has not returned to his teaching or coaching duties since then.
The district said Hamilton has been an employee since 2010 and worked at Boonesboro Elementary since 2018. He also served as the girls' soccer coach at B. Michael Caudill Middle School.
Given that Hamilton was a teacher in a position of trust, experts with the Children's Advocacy Center of the Bluegrass say it's helpful for parents and guardians to have candid conversations with their children about sensitive matters like this.
"I think it's okay to say, hey, I heard about this are you familiar with that. Have you ever experienced anything like that? In this particular case, you may have been around that individual that's alleged to have done these things, did they ever make you feel inappropriate or uncomfortable?" Winn Stephens said.
Hamilton is scheduled to make his first court appearance October 20.
Original Story:
A warrant of arrest reveals that an elementary teacher in Madison County has been arrested for first-degree sexual abuse of a 10-year-old.
According to the document, officials received a report on Sept. 8, 2025, of a student who had been sexually assaulted while at school.
The document states that, through several interviews, the victim was reportedly sexually assaulted at the age of 10 and is now 17.
According to the document, the suspect was identified as Charles Hamilton, and he is booked in the Madison County Detention Center.
Madison County Schools confirmed with LEX 18 that Hamilton is a teacher at Boonesborough Elementary School and is the girls' soccer coach at B. Michael Caudill Middle School.
School officials released the following statement regarding his arrest:
Madison County Schools was made aware that the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) was beginning an investigation regarding Charles Hamilton on Sept. 8, 2025. On that same date, Mr. Hamilton was placed on leave pending the outcome of the DCBS investigation. Mr. Hamilton has remained on leave since Sept. 8 and has not returned to his teaching or coaching duties. The district will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation.
LEX 18 asked Madison County Schools whether parents were notified of the incident, and they responded with the following:
The district was notified of the beginning of the investigation by DCBS. No information about the investigation was given, including the nature of the investigation. Until yesterday when we were notified he was being charged, we received no additional information. The communication families received from the school indicated Mr. Hamilton would be out of the building and gave information about reassigning students for the time being.
