ROCKY RIVER, Ohio — Embattled Rocky River intermediate school principal Dr. Heath Horton has submitted his resignation following months of investigation into alleged improper conduct with students.
Horton's resignation, effective on Oct. 9, was officially accepted by the Rocky River Board of Education during a special meeting on Thursday evening. In an email sent afterward to district parents, Superintendent Michael Shoaf said Horton's decision to step down "provides an outcome with 100-percent certainty and no delay."
"I want to thank the community for its patience during the process and understand that many of you may be frustrated by how long it took," Shoaf wrote. "However, I can assure you that the district followed all of the necessary legal protocols and procedures as outlined in the Ohio Revised Code to ensure due process."
The investigation into Horton began in June, when the mother of a former Rocky River High School student said Horton drank alcohol and smoked cigars with her son while serving as an assistant principal at the school.
Text messages sent between September 2019 and June 2020 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. After discovering the texts, the mother 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 hang out with his students."
Horton was placed on paid administrative leave in June, with Shoaf saying the district did not have the authority to withhold his salary during the investigation. With Horton's resignation, his health care benefits have been terminated, while he will continue "receiving the benefits to which he is contractually and legally entitled. Nothing more."
In September, 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 sent several text messages to a male asking for sexual videos.
The report also mentioned 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."
Following the police report release, Rocky River school officials began conducting an investigation using an independent investigator.
Later in September, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office announced it would not seek felony charges against Horton.
In a letter sent from Assistant Prosecutor Fallon Radigan to Rocky River Law Director Michael O'Shea, the county prosecutor's office determined there was "insufficient admissible evidence" to support a Grand Jury presentation in the case of Dr. Heath Horton.
Radigan said prosecutors reviewed a 65-page police report, extracts from Horton's cell phone, screenshots from witness phones, and written witness statements. "Based on the content received, the conduct does not rise to the level of a felony," Radigan wrote.
Radigan also told 3News' Matt Rascon that the alleged victims were 18 years or older.
"Even though these are disturbing — there is disturbing evidence here — it's not a crime as a felony level. So although some of the actions might be questionable, a questionable action doesn’t mean it’s a felony," she said.
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.
"We are committed to the safety of our students and staff and providing a healthy and productive learning environment," Shoaf said Thursday. "The district will continue to reinforce the high professional and ethical standards and expectations we have for our staff. Additionally, we are dedicated to exploring initiatives that will continue moving the district forward and meet the needs of all stakeholders."
3News' Matt Rascon also contributed to this story.
Previous Reporting:
- Rocky River superintendent met with mixed reaction at board meeting as investigation into employees continue
- Rocky River principal will not face felony charges after investigation into relationship with former students
- Police report reveals Rocky River intermediate school principal's text conversations about sex, drugs, and alcohol with kids as young as 17
- Police confirm they are investigating allegations against Rocky River intermediate school principal