UNIVERSAL CITY, Texas – A band teacher at First Baptist Academy was arrested on child indecency and grooming charges involving a 13-year-old student, according to an arrest affidavit.
Stephen Strawn, 50, was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on Thursday, according to jail records.
Strawn is accused of making the student try on shirts that showed her back and stomach on multiple occasions.
Child Protective Services visited the school on March 16, according to a statement obtained by KSAT, in response to a report involving the inappropriate interactions.
Police followed up two days later, according to an affidavit, when the student told officers Strawn asked her to help with flag team uniforms.
Detectives learned that Strawn had previously pulled the student out of class multiple times last November, the affidavit states, for “private band lessons.”
Strawn admitted to having unauthorized private lessons, uniform fittings and photographing the student during an interview with detectives.
The student said there was another person that Strawn photographed, and Strawn admitted to another potential “child grooming incident” that happened two years ago.
First Baptist Academy said Strawn was immediately placed on administrative leave after it was notified of the investigation.
“The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority,” pastor Ryan Gilbert said in a statement. “We take this matter with the utmost seriousness and are committed to maintaining a safe, secure, and supportive environment for every child entrusted to our care.”
Gilbert said that the school is working to provide care and support to students, families and staff affected.
Read the full statement below:
“First Baptist Church of Universal City and First Baptist Academy are aware of the recent arrest of a faculty member following an investigation initiated by Child Protective Services in coordination with the Universal City Police Department.
On Monday, March 16, 2026, Child Protective Services visited the First Baptist Academy campus in response to a report involving an alleged inappropriate interaction between a teacher and a student. Prior to this visit, church and school leadership had not been made aware of the report or the alleged incident.
Upon notification, the employee was immediately placed on administrative leave. The individual is no longer serving on campus. The church and academy are fully cooperating with law enforcement and Child Protective Services and are committed to supporting a thorough and transparent investigative process.
The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority. We take this matter with the utmost seriousness and are committed to maintaining a safe, secure, and supportive environment for every child entrusted to our care. We are also working to provide appropriate care and support for students, families, and staff affected by this situation.
Out of respect for the privacy of those involved and the integrity of the ongoing investigation, we will not be providing additional details at this time. We ask for continued prayer for those directly impacted, especially the students and families affected, as well as for our school community."
Ryan Gilbert, Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church of Universal City
The Universal City Police Department asks anyone with information about this case or the suspect to email Detective Lieutenant Daniel Carmona at carmona@ucpdtx.org.
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