Peoria police clear teacher accused of inappropriate relationship

UPDATE: The Peoria Police Department has cleared a teacher accused of an inappropriate relationship and charges were submitted on the 14-year-old female for false reporting.

In February, police said the juvenile female made multiple statements suggesting she and the teacher were involved in an intimate relationship since the fall of 2018. She also claimed the teacher stalked her for months by email, texts and phone calls.

Officials stated, "After extensive investigation, it was determined there was not a single piece of evidence to support the teen's claims of a relationship with her teacher... Due to false allegations made by the teen, detectives have submitted charges for False Reporting to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review. The Peoria Police Department takes allegations of sexual and physical abuse extremely serious and investigates these incidents to the fullest extent possible. It is a crime to report false information to law enforcement as it puts a strain on valuable resources."

The teacher's name was not released.

Our original report is below:

PEORIA, Ariz. (FOX 10) -- The Peoria Police Department is investigating an allegation of an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and a student at Mountain Ridge High School.

While police aren't saying much at all right now and an arrest has not been made, students at Mountain Ridge, including senior Aubrie Miller, are disturbed at the latest investigation.

"It's all over the school, basically you hear everyone talking about it," Miller said. "It honestly has affected a lot of students in a way that they've trusted these teachers and coaches and the fact that they feel like we can't trust them anymore."

This is the second investigation in a month involving a Mountain Right teacher and a minor. Miller says she isn't quite sure how safe her school is anymore.

"What if I bend down and get my pencil? What if I'm taking out a notebook?" Miller asked. "How are they looking at me?"

Peoria Police aren't releasing specific details regarding the investigation. Just last month, police arrested Vincent Ciliberti, who was the head football coach at Mountain Ridge, before being accused of luring a minor for sexual exploitation.

Hansel Solera, a parent in the area, says she's deeply concerned.

"[I'm concerned] especially for the teacher, which is somebody you respect," Solera said. "Who's educating your kid while you're out there working hard to provide for your family."

While Miller says she loves her school, she'd like more transparency as the investigation unfolds.

"It needs to be talked about," she said. "It can't just be ignored and like it didn't happen, this is the second time."

If you have any information on this case, you're asked to call the Peoria Police Department.