Middle school teacher arrested in California on accusations of rape of a child in Centralia

CENTRALIA, Wash. — Centralia Police Department (CPD) assisted in arresting a former Centralia Middle School teacher on charges of 2nd-degree rape of a child.

In October of 2023, CPD began an investigation into allegations that a former female Centralia Middle School teacher named Natasha Polk had been engaging in a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old male student, according to a press release published by CPD on Thursday.

The release states the alleged acts occurred in 2020 while the victim was in the 8th grade and continued for a time after he completed middle school.

CPD says the investigation revealed evidence that Polk provided the victim with marijuana, alcohol, and vapes.

According to CPD, Polk used her status as an educator to gain access to the victim while he was incarcerated at Lewis County Juvenile on unrelated issues.

The allegations included that Polk would drive the victim from Centralia to her apartment in Lacey, where she would engage in sex acts with him after providing him with alcohol, says CPD.

In 2021, Polk moved from Washington to West Sacramento, California, but she continued to have contact with the victim, says CPD.

The release states that in 2021, Polk traveled back to Washington to visit the victim, and on that trip, she rented an Airbnb in Tacoma, where she is alleged to have taken the victim and again had sex with him.

As a result of CPD’s investigation, the Lewis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office requested an arrest warrant for Polk.

According to the release, CPD discovered Polk was currently employed as a teacher with the Davis Joint Unified School District in Davis, California. CPD drove to West Sacramento to assist the West Sacramento Police Department with arresting Polk on August 21 at her home in West Sacramento.

Polk is incarcerated in the Yolo County Jail and is awaiting extradition to Lewis County.

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