ROCKY RIVER, Ohio — **CONTENT WARNING: Some of the contents of this story and the below police report contain explicit details and graphic language
Shocking details have been revealed as part of the investigation into the Rocky River School District principal who was placed on administrative leave in June after a complaint was filed by the parent of a former high school student.
Dr. Heath Horton continues to be on leave from his post as Kensington Intermediate School principal and is barred from school district properties during the investigation.
Earlier this week, the Rocky River Police Department released a redacted 66-page report detailing a long series of text messages between the 42-year-old Horton and 17 former students with ages ranging from 17 to 23. In those messages, Horton said "we can never share our relationship through education." He said he had to be viewed "as their uncle or family friend."
From June 27, 2022 to May 11, 2023, Horton sends several text messages to a male asking for sexual videos. One interaction outlined in the report has Horton saying, "Don't tease me with a three-second video. I want a longer video." He adds, "Get me a good nut on face or ass vid/pic."
The report also mentions a "Boom Room," described as an extra bedroom at Horton's house. Horton allegedly brought former students to his house, including minors, to drink alcohol and smoke cigars. In several text messages, Horton is seen propositioning people to "visit the Boom."
You can read the entire report below. Again, a WARNING, that the report contains explicit language and content:
Rocky River School Superintendent Michael Shoaf sent a letter to parents with an update on the investigation on Thursday.
"Over the last three months, the Rocky River City School District (RRCSD) has cooperated with the Rocky River Police Department (RRPD) in their ongoing investigation of Dr. Heath Horton.
"We want to reiterate that the district remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of ethics and professionalism among its staff. Our top priority continues to be the safety and well-being of our students, staff and community members.
"On June 6, 2023, the district was notified of the RRPD investigation. At that time, Dr. Horton was placed on administrative leave and has not returned to campus. Late last night, the RRPD provided a redacted Investigative Report.
"With the information provided by the RRPD, the district is now able to conduct its own investigation which will utilize an independent investigator. Dr. Horton remains on administrative leave and barred from school district properties during the investigation.
"As new information becomes available, the district will continue to provide updates."
The Rocky River Police Department has sent Horton's case to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office. 3News reached out to the prosecutor's office to find out the status of the investigation and are waiting to learn more.
In June, 3News obtained a copy of the police report regarding Horton's case involving the former student and his mother. According to the documents, the allegations stem from text messages sent between September of 2019 and June of 2020 when Horton was an assistant principal at the high school.
Officers say the texts showed both the student and Horton (referred to as "H-Dawg" in the phone) would frequently ask each other to hang out while smoking cigars and drinking alcohol at Horton's home. The mother only discovered the texts this past Saturday and contacted another parent in the district who then found out her own son had engaged in the same type of behavior with Horton and "a few other friends" whom he did not name.
The second student said he and the others stopped going to Horton's house because things "got weird," although he did not specify what that meant. Per police, the messages also appeared to show Horton asking to pick the students up down the street from his residence to avoid getting caught, since he admitted he was "not allowed to hangout with his students."
Horton arrived in Rocky River in 2017 following stints as a teacher and administrator in South Euclid-Lyndhurst and Brooklyn, and has been Kensington's principal since July of 2021. Court records do not show a prior criminal record.