Ex-teacher's aide facing new charges

Durham, N.C. — A former teacher's assistant at a Durham elementary school faces obstruction of justice charges for allegedly contacting a student with whom she is accused of having sex.

Gina Marie Watring, 40, of 106 Cricket Ground, was first charged April 29 with two counts of first-degree sex offense with a child. Watring is accused of having sex with a student on April 10 and April 21.

She was released on a $200,000 unsecured bond and ordered not to contact the victim while awaiting trial.

On Saturday, Watring was arrested again and charged with obstructing justice.

According to the arrest warrant, Watring had contact with the student between June 29 and July 3. The warrant says that she gave the boy a cell phone without permission from his parents and exchanged messages and photos, along with handwritten notes.

Watring worked at Creekside Elementary School in Durham until her original arrest. According to an affidavit for a search warrant, the boy told Durham County Sheriff's Office investigators that he and Watring had intercourse twice at her home, according to the affidavit. School officials also discovered the sexual text messages between the two, the affidavit said.

Watring was being held in the Durham County Jail Sunday under a $100,000 secured bond. She is due in court Monday.