Head Start teacher at Beaufort Elementary charged with sexual exploitation of a minor
A Head Start teacher working with preschool children at Beaufort Elementary School was charged with one count of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor Wednesday, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
Holli Hall Hodges, 55, self-reported Tuesday that she had inappropriate photos of children to her Head Start supervisor, who immediately reached out to law enforcement.
Hodges “voluntarily responded” to the Beaufort Police Department and was taken into an interview room. Before any questions were asked, Hodges started biting and kicking police officers, a police department spokesperson said.
Hodges was subsequently taken into custody and searched.
The Beaufort Police Department charged Hodges with five counts of assault and battery third-degree, one count of resisting arrest and one count of possession of a controlled substance. The Beaufort Police Department did not disclose what the substance was.
The case then was turned over to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. An investigation confirmed the existence of at least one illegal photo, and Hodges was served an arrest warrant while in the detention center on Wednesday.
As of Thursday morning, Hodges was in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center, according jail records.
Hodges is being held on a $50,000 bond for one count of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, according to court records. Including other charges, the total is $61,525.
The Beaufort-Jasper Economic Opportunity Commission Head Start program is a federally-funded independent program with classrooms inside Beaufort Elementary School, according to Executive Director James Williams. It is meant to support low-income children from 6 weeks to 4 years old. He said the program immediately terminated Hodges as soon as she self-reported the inappropriate photos.
Hodges was hired through the program and assigned to the school, not hired through the Beaufort County School District. She was previously a kindergarten assistant at Port Royal Elementary from August 2020 until October 2021, according to district spokesperson Candace Bruder.
Bruder said the district is legally unable to comment on why Hodges is no longer employed by the district.
Before that, she worked at The Savvy Apple Preschool in Beaufort over five years ago, according to that preschool’s director.
At the time the Head Start program hired Hodges, she passed the required federal and state background checks. Like all employees, she was thoroughly vetted in conjunction with the Department of Social Services, according to Williams. Hodges started working for Head Start in March 2023.
“The Head Start program is deeply committed to the safety and well being of all the children that we serve,” Williams said.
Hodges’ seized electronic items have been submitted to the South Carolina Attorney General’s office for forensic examination, the Sheriff’s Office said. Because this is an active investigation, there may be additional charges.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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