Teacher, 35, arrested for incest after ‘having intercourse together with her two adopted teen sons’
A teacher and foster-care advocate has been arrested on suspicion of incest after police alleged she had sexual contact with two teenage boys she adopted, prompting her school to place her on leave
Amber Swain, 35(Image: KREM 2 News)
A teacher known locally for promoting foster care has been arrested on suspicion of incest. Investigators alleged she had sexual contact with two teenage boys she had adopted.
Amber Swain, 35, from Newport in Washington, USA, was taken into custody on Tuesday (June 2) as part of an inquiry by the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office. She was booked on suspicion of first- and second-degree incest, according to local reports.
Swain worked at Pend Oreille River School, the alternative high school for the Newport School District in Washington state, where she held roles as both a teacher and programme director. Local reports said she cultivated a visible community presence, presenting herself as a committed supporter of vulnerable and “high-risk” foster children.
The investigation unfolded over a short period in late May and early June 2026, but police say it uncovered alleged wrongdoing spanning months. On May 18, Washington State’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) flagged concerns about potential sexual abuse in the household and alerted local law enforcement.
In the days that followed, detectives accessed what court documents describe as explicit text messages between Swain and the teenagers and arranged separate forensic interviews with both boys. Swain was arrested on Tuesday after detectives said they had established probable cause following a formal interview with her, the New York Post reported.
She appeared the next day, June 3, in Pend Oreille County District Court before Judge Robin McCroskey to face initial allegations. On the same day, the school district said Swain had been placed on immediate administrative leave, confirming the move in a formal statement.
Sex “plenty of times”
In the news release, published by the district and reported by The Spokesman-Review, officials said: “While we cannot say much at this time, we can unequivocally and firmly state that we take these matters very seriously.” According to police affidavits, the two teenagers gave different accounts of alleged misconduct.
One reportedly told forensic interviewers he and Swain had sex “plenty of times”, alleging it began in December 2025 before his 18th birthday and continued until two days before his interview. The other said that in May 2026 Swain repeatedly touched him inappropriately while they were sharing a bed, and that he forced her to stop before it progressed further.
Court records say Swain initially denied any sexual contact when questioned by detectives. Police say that when confronted with digital evidence in the form of text messages, she changed her account, claiming she had sex with the first teenager in February 2026 and only after he turned 18.
When investigators challenged inconsistencies in the timeline, she is quoted as saying: “I could have my timeline messed up.” At her first court appearance, Pend Oreille County prosecutor Dolly Hunt asked for a $500,000 (£374,000) cash-only bond, citing concerns about public safety and alleging Swain tried to contact one of the victims from jail.
Her public defender, Brett Billingsley, argued she should be released, pointing to her lack of previous criminal history. The judge set bail at $20,000 (£15,000).
Swain was released on bail under conditions barring her from contact with the alleged victims and from going near anyone under 18, according to the case summary provided. She faces charges reported as first-degree incest, second-degree incest, and first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor, with the combined maximum penalty described as up to 20 years in prison.
A formal arraignment is scheduled in Superior Court. Swain faces incest charges under Washington state law because adopted children are legally defined as “descendants”.
According to the Revised Code of Washington, sexual contact between an adoptive parent and a child under 18 constitutes a crime, regardless of biological relation.
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