BATON ROUGE, La. – Public schools presumably look for people of good moral character during the hiring process.

But sometimes they clearly miss the mark.

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That may have been the case when Brookstown Middle Magnet Academy in Baton Rouge hired Robert Marks as assistant principal.

Marks, 39, has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and abandoning the three-year-old daughter of a teacher from the school, and may be responsible for the teachers’ death, according to media reports.

Lyntell Washington, 40, a former “Teacher of the Year” in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System was reported missing last week, according to a report from WAFB.com. Police reported Tuesday that they found a badly decomposed body in a ditch in nearby Rosedale that may be Washington, the news report said.

Washington was seven months pregnant with Marks’ child, WAFB reported.

The teacher was reported missing last Thursday after her three-year-old daughter was found alone near her car in a Baton Rouge parking lot. Blood was found inside the car, the news report said.

Marks was subsequently arrested in connection with that situation.

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“The assistant principal of the Baton Rouge middle school where (Washington) works has been arrested in connection with her disappearance,” WAFB.com reported.

“Robert Jovantie Marks, 39, faces aggravated kidnapping and child desertion charges because Washington’s child was left abandoned in a parking lot. District Attorney Hillar Moore said if the body that was found is Washington, then an additional charge will be added for the unborn baby.”

News reports alluded to a possible motive if Washington was murdered.

“Marks is married to another woman and police suspect he might have been fearful that his wife would find out that he had gotten the teacher pregnant, according to police records,” WAFB.com reported.

“A co-worker told investigators that Washington was seven months pregnant with Marks’ child and had threatened to tell Marks’ wife about their extramarital affair, according to a police report,” KATC.com reported.

Police suspect foul play, largely due to statements provided by the toddler, according to WAFB.com

“According to the probable cause report, the child told investigators that ‘Mr. Robbie’ hurt her mother,” the news report said. “It also revealed the child was with her mother and Marks when she heard a ‘bang’ and after the bang her mom was ‘shaking.’ She also stated that her mom’s in the lake and that it was dark outside when her mom got hurt.”

WDSU.com reported on Wednesday that the coroner is still waiting to make a positive identification on the body.

“The coroner’s office conducted an autopsy and found the body was that of a woman who had been shot in the head,” the news report said. “The woman was pregnant at the time of her death, officials said in an update Wednesday.

“Because of the advanced state of decomposition, officials said that DNA analysis will be needed to positively identify the body. The Louisiana State Police crime lab is assisting in the identification process.”