Investigators arrested a Moreno Valley middle school teacher Tuesday, March 3, on suspicion of sending explicit messages in an attempt to seduce a student.

Emily Wentworth, 39, of Nuevo, worked as a resource specialist teacher, and had been employed at Palm Middle School since 2014, Moreno Valley Unified School District spokeswoman Anahi Velasco said in a statement. She was booked on suspicion of distributing harmful matter to minor, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department officials said in a Wednesday news release

Authorities received reports on Monday that she may have sent inappropriate messages to a student, and proceeded to conduct interviews and gather evidence, said the release. Investigators obtained a warrant to search Wentworth’s home, and she was taken into custody without incident Tuesday.

Wentworth was released on $5,000 bail Wednesday. She has been on placed on leave while the Sheriff’s Department looks into the accusations made against her, Velasco said.

“All Moreno Valley Unified School District teachers go through a background check and she was cleared prior to employment with us,” Velasco said.

She added that school officials are cooperating with law enforcement and taking the matter “very seriously.”

“The safety and security of our students is always our top priority and we will continue to work with the Sheriff’s Department to conduct a thorough investigation.”

Investigators asked anyone with information on the situation to call Sheriff’s Investigator Tometich at 951-486-6700.