UNION COUNTY, N.C. — Editor's Note: WCNC Charlotte has chosen to use this mugshot because of the nature of the charges involved.
The Union County Sheriff's Office says an instructional assistant at a Monroe school has been charged after she allegedly took an inappropriate photo of a student.
Deputies said 19-year-old Hannah Embrey of Indian Trail was charged and arrested Monday evening with a felony count of disseminating a photo obtained by a peeping violation. She's also been charged with a misdemeanor count of peeping into a room while possessing a photo device.
The office said it learned last week that Embrey, who works at Shiloh Valley Primary School, reportedly took an inappropriate photo of a student at the school. In a statement, Sheriff Eddie Cathey said "From the moment our deputies were notified, we began investigating all the circumstances surrounding this incident. After a timely, thorough investigation, it was evident that this instructional assistant made a bad decision and criminal charges were appropriate. Ensuring the safety and privacy of our local children is a paramount concern for my office and I encourage anyone with additional information about this case to contact our detectives”.
The sheriff's office notes that Embrey has been placed on administrative leave by Union County Public Schools pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
The investigation is still open. Anyone who has further information can call the sheriff's office at (704) 283-3789. Tips can also be uploaded to the sheriff's office app via smartphone. It can be downloaded by searching for "Union County Sheriff's Office, NC" in either the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Note: WCNC instituted a policy in March 2021 regarding the broadcast or posting of mugshots.
WCNC will only air or post a mugshot if the person has been formally charged with a crime and in a few other cases. The exceptions include: If it appears the person could be a danger to themselves or others or if they are wanted by authorities; to differentiate between people with a common name; if the photos could encourage more victims to come forward. The news-editorial leadership may also decide to use a mugshot based on the severity of the crime(s) committed and/or the level of public interest in the crime and ensuing criminal proceedings.
