Teacher's aide accused of sexually abusing boy, 17, now charged with 'giving him HIV'

Mario Hunt, 35, is charged with criminal sexual abuse, criminal sexual assault, and sexual transmission of HIV

A teacher’s aide accused of sexually assault at least one high school boy may have also give that boy HIV.



Mario Hunt, 35, had been a teacher’s aide in Cahokia, Illinois for seven years when police pulled him out of Cahokia Senior High School Wednesday for questioning.



Hunt, who is HIV positive, was then suspended and has since been charged with sexually abusing a student and possibly transmitting HIV to the victim.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO



Arrested: Police say Cahokia, Illinois teacher's aide Mario Hunt, 35, sexually assaulted a student and may have given the boy, 17, HIV

The male victim was 17 at the time of the crimes, which police say occurred over several months beginning in January 2011.



‘We were approached a week and a half ago by a student and his mother and asked to investigate the conduct between the suspect and several young boys. We conducted an investigation and turned the case in for review at the state's attorney's office on Friday. Our suspect was charged today,’ Cahokia Police Chief James Jones told the News-Democrat Monday.

At the same time, school officials said the same boy’s mother approached them about inappropriate conversations her son was having with Hunt via Facebook.



It remains unverified whether or not the boy is now HIV positive. The charges merely state that he knowingly exposed the victim to the virus.

Shock: School superintendent Art Ryan said officials screen employees as best they can. Hunt worked at Cahokia Senior High for seven years before his arrest

Haven? Hunt worked with many children at Cahokia High, pictured, where he was also a track coach but only one victim has yet come forward

Also unclear is just how many victims Hunt may have had.



The teacher’s aide was also reportedly a track coach at the high school, which likely gave him ample time to interact with students.



Asked about potential fault on the part of the school, which failed to detect the longtime employee’s behavior, school superintendent Art Ryan told KMOV his officials protect students from such harm every way they can, but some criminals aren’t easily detected.

Possible: Hunt is HIV positive and charged with sexual transmission of HIV, a charge that indicates he knowingly put the boy at risk

‘We can’t be following every single employee every minute of every day, you just have to hope that between our screening processes, that things like that don’t happen.’



Ryan was unaware of Hunt’s HIV status until he was alerted to it by reporters Monday.



‘I’m shocked by that,’ he said. ‘I've not seen any reports about the charges being filed or anything of that nature…with HIPA laws and so on, you know, people who are not compelled to share any situations they might have with their employers.’



Hunt was arrested by U.S. Marshals at his home Monday. He is currently being held on $300,000 bond on charges of criminal sexual abuse, sriminal sexual assault, and sexual transmission of HIV.