Lauren Michelle Cosgrove of Sanger is accused of having sexual contact at least twice with the boy when she was baby-sitting him and the two other boys in the family.

She was in city jail Wednesday in lieu of $10,000 bail on each charge and could not be reached for comment.

Police spokesman Jim Bryan said Cosgrove is an English teacher at Strickland Middle School in Denton. She was working a summer job baby-sitting for the family, Bryan said.

Cosgrove is married and has two children, according to documents used to obtain an arrest warrant for her.

The boy’s parents filed a complaint Sunday, and a detective who specializes in crimes against children investigated. Cosgrove had agreed to surrender but detectives arrested her after learning she had been trying to contact the victim, Detective Sgt. Roger White said.

The charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony, carries a penalty of up to life in prison.

“It is my understanding that she and the boy had a sexual relationship,” Bryan said. “A sibling saw them kissing and told the parents. They confronted the boy, and that’s when it came out.”

According to the court records, the boy’s siblings told their parents they had seen him and his teacher go into his bedroom and shut the door numerous times. The boy admitted to the detective that he had sexual contact with her, the documents stated.

“He told his parents he and Lauren have plans to be together when he reaches the age of 18,” according to the document. “[The victim] said he was worried what the consequences for Lauren would be. He said he knew she was wrong for what she had done but said he was also at fault. He said Lauren had told him she was afraid she would lose her children if anyone found out about their relationship.”

According to the arrest affidavit, Cosgrove admitted to the contact, saying they had become close during the school year and shared their problems with each other.

Cosgrove has been a language arts teacher at Strickland since 2003. She received a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University.

Officials with the Denton school district are cooperating fully with the police and their investigation, said school district spokeswoman Sharon Cox. School officials were not able to contact Cosgrove on Wednesday, she said.

The district policy states that “a contract employee may be suspended with pay or placed on administrative leave by the superintendent during an investigation of alleged misconduct by the employee,” Cox said, quoting the policy.

Denton school board President Charles Stafford also pointed to the district’s policy, adding that since school is not in session, there is no immediate need to remove the teacher from the proximity of children.

Stafford declined to comment otherwise because Cosgrove’s case is a personnel issue.

“They [the police] will investigate, we will investigate, and then we will take the appropriate action,” he said.

DONNA FIELDER can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her e-mail is dfielder@dentonrc.com.