Former Kansas art teacher accused of having sex with student in Jeep to stand trial

A former Kansas high school art teacher accused of having sex with a student, including multiple times in the backseat of her Jeep, will stand trial. 

Nicole Hernandez, 30, also known as Nikki Baird, appeared in court Tuesday, when a judge ruled she will be tried on four counts of unlawful sexual relations with a student, KAKE.com reported. 

Baird allegedly groomed the then-17-year-old student in middle school before both moved on to Wichita North High School, according to an affidavit seen by the Wichita Eagle.

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"He described how she befriended him, then isolated him from others," the affidavit reportedly states. 

The relationship between the pair turned sexual in 2024, it said. Baird was arrested in May following an investigation after a Wichita police detective was made aware of an Instagram post indicating that Baird had an inappropriate relationship with a former Wichita school district student.

The student, now an adult, told investigators that Baird was his middle school art teacher before she was hired as North High’s art teacher. The affidavit said she groomed him throughout his sophomore, junior and senior years of high school.

The former student said the physical relationship began when Baird "started as Baird touching or rubbing his back or shoulders" before she began asking him for hugs, authorities said. 

"He was nervous and eventually said yes," the affidavit states.

The pair eventually began exchanging text messages in which Baird talked about her "struggling marriage, the affidavit said. 

She then began writing him notes. 

"One letter said, ‘I hope and pray one day I get the chance to be with you’ and ‘I know that I love you,’" the affidavit read.

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She allegedly invited him into her office three times during his last week of school, while ordering him to touch her, the affidavit states.

On his graduation night, Baird allegedly asked the student if he wanted to meet in a random neighborhood and have sex in her Jeep, according to documents.

"The student said he was nervous and felt pressured," the affidavit reads. "She (Baird) said things similar to ‘It’s okay’ and said they won’t get in trouble because he graduated."

Afterward, while North High classes were still in session but seniors were no longer in class, Baird met up with the student multiple times to have sex in the back seat of her Jeep, according to the affidavit.

After the teen graduated, Baird allegedly texted him nude photos of herself. The teen saved some of the images, "knowing he could use them as evidence of what she did," the affidavit states.

He eventually stopped communicating with Baird after he "understood the relationship he had with Baird was inappropriate and he had been manipulated by Baird," according to the affidavit.

The student eventually told his family about Baird, and they submitted the nude images and handwritten notes to investigators. 

Kate Middleton wears largest tiara she's ever worn ‘reserved for Britain’s queens’ at state banquet: expert

Kate Middleton looked every bit the future queen as she stepped out wearing the largest and most striking tiara she has ever worn.

On Dec. 3, the Princess of Wales joined her husband, Prince William, as well as King Charles and Queen Camilla for a glittering state banquet at Windsor Castle. The festivities honored German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s state visit to the U.K.

For the glamorous evening, the mother of three debuted Queen Victoria’s Oriental Circlet Tiara, paired with a sparkling sequin cape gown by her go-to designer, Jenny Packham. 

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The jaw-dropping blue ensemble included earrings that belonged to Queen Elizabeth II, along with the Royal Family Order and the Royal Victorian Order sash and star.

"Catherine’s look was so exciting for royal watchers," royal commentator Amanda Matta told Fox News Digital. "Not only was the tiara a new piece for her, but it’s also one that’s typically reserved for Britain’s queens. The Oriental Circlet Tiara is also the largest piece we’ve seen her wear to date."

"It perfectly communicates the ties the U.K. has with Germany, too, as it was a gift from German-born Prince Albert to his wife, Queen Victoria," Matta added.

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It’s believed that Kate, 43, may have chosen the tiara to pay tribute to their guests, as Albert was from Germany.

The Oriental Circlet is recognized as the most significant Victorian-era piece in the royal collection, Garrard reported. It was originally set with opals — one of Albert’s favorite gemstones — along with 2,600 diamonds. The tiara also features an Indian-inspired design incorporating lotus flowers and Mughal arches. Garrard noted that Queen Alexandra, who considered opals unlucky, later replaced them with rubies.

"The royals do everything deliberately," British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "Princess Catherine's entire ensemble signaled continuity and celebrated their shared heritage while also signaling a new era. It was a brilliant historical nod to their German guests."

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"Prince Albert’s surname was Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, as he belonged to the German House of Saxe-Coburg," Fordwich said. "It was back in 1917 that the royal family changed their name to Windsor, taking the name of their English home due to anti-German sentiment during World War I."

Fordwich also noted that Kate’s dress delivered a bold public statement about the monarchy’s future.

"Traditionally, Queen Elizabeth II always wore white or cream for state banquets," said Fordwich. "This departure was a clear signal of a new era — the modern monarchy Prince William wants to project."

"It was beyond heartwarming to see Princess Catherine so glowing, having recovered so well from her cancer battle," she added.

Kate has previously worn four different tiaras for state banquets and diplomatic receptions. She wore her first tiara in 2011 — the Cartier Halo Tiara — when she married William.

Over the years, she has also worn the Lotus Flower Tiara and the Strathmore Rose Tiara. Most recently, she sported Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara during the state visit of U.S. President Donald Trump in September.

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Ahead of the banquet, the Prince and Princess of Wales posed for an official portrait taken by Alex Bramall at Frogmore House near Windsor Castle.

"Looking forward to a special banquet tonight in Windsor," they captioned the photo on social media.

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