UPDATE - Wednesday, Jan. 7 5:00 p.m.
Other media outlets are reporting that administrative action has been taken against the three coaches present for the alleged December incident by Odem-Edroy ISD. However, Superintendent Yolanda Carr has yet to respond to multiple requests for the same information.
KRIS 6 News has also spoken with the anonymous parent in Tuesday's reporting. According to them, the parents involved in this matter have also not been notified about this information. When speaking with the parent on Tuesday, they told KRIS 6 News that their only knowledge of the coaches and their employment status was through hearsay.
KRIS 6 News has additionally reached out to each member of the Odem-Edroy ISD school board for comment on the matter as well.
The board will meet on Monday, January 12.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A second parent is speaking with KRIS 6 News following the arrest of an Odem High School athlete. This parent is alleging her student was also assaulted by the same individual.
On Sunday, Christopher Jacob Soto was arrested and charged with indecency with a child following the alleged incident in December.
Soto turned 19 on Monday.
According to Sheriff Oscar Rivera, on Dec. 9, Soto assaulted an Odem-Edroy ISD juvenile student in an Odem-Edroy ISD school bus while returning from a basketball game in Hebbronville, Texas.
KRIS 6 News spoke with one parent, who said her son was also assaulted during the December incident. This parent spoke with KRIS 6 News with a promise of anonymity, fearing retaliation.
According to the parent, "the older student (Soto) grabbed my son, and I guess kind of started dry humping him." She continued by saying her son began kicking before the bus driver turned on the lights. According to the parent, no coaches got up and only told the students to "settle down."
Following this, the parent told us the alleged second assault took place. Soto now faces charges in connection with the second assault.
The father of that student spoke with KRIS 6 News on Monday, saying, "He (his son) was stripped, held down, and his shirt was pulled over his head, his pants were pulled off, and they attempted to remove his underwear," the father said. He also said students touched his son's genitals during the assault, while another student recorded the incident.
"When I talked to the principal last week, she said, 'Well, you know the way the boys discussed it, it seemed to just be horse playing that got out of hand,'" the anonymous parent told KRIS 6 News. They continued, "I can understand them wrestling or, you know, on the floor, but it's beyond out of hand when there's private parts of your body being touched or you being grabbed in a sexual way."
"That's not out of hand, that's just disgusting," the parent said.
Additionally, the parent expressed frustration with the coaching staff. According to the parents, three coaches were on the bus at the time of the incident.
"The fact that the coaches didn't even react at all, this school is notorious for letting things get brushed under the rug because of who you know, and if you're not related to somebody in the school, then they don't do anything." she said.
Parents close to the incident told KRIS 6 News that the three coaches have been placed on leave pending an investigation, the district did not provide an answer to our request for that information.
Provided to us a copy of the notice sent to parents district-wide on December 12, and an additional response from Superintendent Yolanda Carr. Carr writing:
The District is in receipt of your written request. Please note that under the Texas Government Code, the request must ask for records or information already in existence. The Public Information Act does not require a governmental body to answer questions.
I am attaching a copy of the District's December 12, 2025, public statement. This concludes the District’s response to your request. The District will take no further action.
KRIS 6 News visited Odem-Edroy ISD Tuesday afternoon in hopes of speaking with Superintendent Carr in person; however, she was not in her office at the time of our visit. A public information request has been made for further information.
"I'm at a loss for words," the parent explained. "I put my trust in the school to keep my kids safe, and if you can't keep high school kids safe. How can I trust you to keep my any younger kids safe?"
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