A kindergarten teacher at Chickamauga Elementary School is accused of molesting students who attend the school, including one who was in her classroom.

Tonya Craft, 36, of Chickamauga turned herself in Wednesday to the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Department. She is charged with four counts of child molestation and one count of aggravated sexual battery.

Craft has been a kindergarten teacher at Chickamauga Elementary for three years.

According to a Sheriff’s Department report, the crimes occurred between Aug. 10, 2005, and May 10, 2007, at the suspect’s residence.

Sheriff’s Capt. Scott Jordan said the victims had sleepovers at Craft’s residence on Sycamore Drive in Catoosa County.

The victims are three girls, now 6-7 years old.

A Ringgold mother whose child was a victim filed the complaint against Craft.

According to an incident report, there is another suspect who is underage and who also may have been molested.

Craft’s attorney comments

Rossville attorney Chris Townley, who is representing Craft, on Thursday said Craft was contacted weeks prior for the allegations against her and investigators didn’t supply many details on the allegations.

Townley said Craft knew the allegations were not true, because she had not done anything inappropriate. He said Craft agreed to be interviewed and answer whatever questions investigators had for her.

Townley said investigators told him that if Craft passed a polygraph, they would not charge her with the allegations.

“The polygraph was set up with the polygrapher that they chose for (June 11),” Townley said. “And on the afternoon before (on June 10) they decided instead that they would issue warrants for her arrest and cancel the polygraph without her ever having a chance to clear herself.”

Townley said the reason investigators did not conduct the polygraph was they wanted to proceed with the case the way it was at the time.

According to Townley, Catoosa County District Attorney Adam Cathey made the decision to cancel the polygraph test.

According to Townley, Craft’s child has denied anything inappropriate happening.

Townley said the details of the allegations have not been given to Craft.

“At this point, we don’t even have details of the allegations to address, but she knows she hasn’t done anything inappropriate,” Townley said. “We are hoping that they will provide that to us later, so we will have some specific things to address.”

According to Townley, the warrants that Craft received said that the allegations occurred on Jan. 1 this year, which conflicts with the August 2005 and May 2007 dates in the incident report.

“She was not even around those children on that date (Jan. 1, 2008), did not see them on that date,” Townley said.

According to Townley, the warrant was issued on Tuesday, June 10.

“The district attorney left me a message on the 10th (of June) that they had issued a warrant for her, so I called him … on the 11th and said that there was no reason for them to send deputy sheriffs out to pick her up, that she would turn herself in and I would arrange for her to come to the jail,” Townley said.

According to Townley, the DA cancelled the polygraph test on Tuesday, June 10, which is the day the warrant was issued, and the polygraph was supposed to have been conducted the next day.

Townley said Craft is denying all allegations. “She denies these allegations and they denied her the chance to defend herself,” he said.

Catoosa sheriff comments

Here is the full text of an email sent to news media shortly before noon Thursday, June 12:

“According to Sheriff Phil Summers, it appears that misinformation was given to the news media yesterday in regards to the arrest of Tonya Henke Craft of 22 Sycamore Drive, Chickamauga. Ms. Craft was arrested yesterday and charged with four counts of child molestation and one count of aggravated sexual battery. She was booked at Catoosa County Detention Center and released on a $50,000 bond.

“The policy has been adopted by the Sheriff’s Office that limited information is provided in regards to sexual offenses prosecuted by the Sheriff’s Office. It is realized that these cases can be devastating to the victims and suspects alike and should be dealt with through the criminal justice system and not through the news media. However, when misinformation is provided by the suspects or individuals representing them it is important to respond to provide accurate information to the general public.

“Sheriff Summers stated, “I disagree with the information provided yesterday by Ms. Craft’s attorney in regards to the handling of this case. It appears statements were made that law enforcement never attempted to interview Ms. Craft and that she agreed to a polygraph test but law enforcement refused to administer this test. I feel it is important to correct statements made to the news media in regards to this case.”

“The Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office thoroughly investigated allegations made against Ms. Craft in this case. Investigators attempted to interview Ms. Craft and she refused to agree to said interview. Discussions did occur for a polygraph test. Ms. Craft’s attorney would not agree for her to take a stipulated polygraph test. Mr. Townley discussed with the District Attorney’s Office the possibility of an unstipulated polygraph test which ultimately the District Attorney’s Office declined. The difference between the two tests is that a stipulated test may be presented as evidence while unstipulated test results cannot be used against the suspect. A stipulated polygraph was offered to the defendant and they declined.

“After this turn of events, Mr. Townley was contacted by the District Attorney’s Office and arrangements were made for Ms. Craft to surrender herself to the Sheriff’s Office in regards to the pending charges. Sheriff Summers stated it is the position of this office the appropriate place to deal with this issue is through the judicial system of Catoosa County. In this case, it is Mr. Townley’s responsibility to represent his client to the best of his ability. It is my responsibility as Sheriff to represent the investigators especially when there are any indications of unfair or inappropriate conduct. I felt the events of this investigation were unfairly represented yesterday. I simply wish to set the record straight.”

Chickamauga school chief comments

Chickamauga Superintendent of Schools Melody Day on Thursday said Craft has been with Chickamauga Elementary School for three years, and prior to that she worked for an adult literacy grant program at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. Craft came to Chickamauga Elementary from the Chattanooga area.

Day said there is no previous criminal record on Craft and she came to the school with excellent references and has been a good teacher in the classroom.

“We are just taken back by this information,” Day said.

According to Day, the school will hold its own internal investigation.

“Basically, we are cooperating with law enforcement. We have made our mandated reports and there is an investigation under way and now warrants have been issued. We are launching our own internal investigation and are just trying to gather as much information to be fair and just. But at the same time we have grave concern — and that is the well-being of our students and that is first and foremost,” Day said.

According to Day, no action has been taken at this time because there is little official information known due to the ages of the children involved with the case.

“I have been in this system for 30 years and we have never had an allegation of this sort and it does take you back. It is an unbelievable situation to be in and not only because of the nature of the allegations, but also because of the closeness of this community,” Day said. “We know our students, we are a small school system. Everyone is very close-knit and it is like a family atmosphere and (we) look after everyone. It is such a nurturing environment … in all three of our schools, but particularly in the elementary due to the young age. It does take you back. It is a very difficult situation.”