A Cobb County judge denied bond Wednesday, Aug. 12, to a former Ridgeview Institute employee accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl while she was a patient at the Smyrna mental health facility.

Jalen Pugh, 25, will remain in jail as the investigation continues. Prosecutors told the court that Cobb County detectives are actively interviewing potential witnesses and possible additional victims. Ridgeview treats adolescents ages 12–17 from across Cobb County through its inpatient behavioral health programs.

"We are not at a place yet where I can firmly say this is an isolated incident," prosecutor Lindsay Doss Raynor told the judge, according to WSB-TV.

Raynor described the victim as "particularly vulnerable," noting she was receiving treatment at Ridgeview when Pugh was entrusted with her care. The specific charges Pugh faces in Cobb County have not been publicly detailed.

Teacher and coach by day, weekend facility worker

Pugh's defense attorney, Jacqueline Gibson, told the court her client worked at Ridgeview on weekends while employed full-time as a teacher and coach at Stone Mountain High School in DeKalb County. Gibson said Pugh has since resigned from the school.

Prosecutors also raised a July 1, 2025, arrest in Atmore, Alabama, where Pugh was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Raynor told the court Pugh helped plan a street-racing event between two high schools during which a fight broke out, shots were fired and a student was killed. Pugh is not accused of the killing.

Gibson disputed that the Alabama charge is still pending. The judge said criminal history records showed the case remained open. Raynor questioned how Pugh obtained a teaching position with a pending criminal charge in Alabama.

DeKalb County Schools had not responded to WSB-TV's questions about Pugh's hiring, background-check process or length of employment as of Thursday, Aug. 13.

Pattern of allegations at Ridgeview

The case adds to a troubled history at Ridgeview Institute. A state inspection reported July 14 found more than 53 complaints over eight years that prompted state inspections, and Smyrna police have investigated 40 sex crime allegations at the facility dating back to 2021.

State investigators found seven incidents in 2024 were never investigated or logged by the facility, including two alleged rapes and two alleged sexual assaults. Ridgeview's chief operating officer was fired in 2024 for failing to properly investigate allegations.

Smyrna Police Lt. Meredith Holt told WSB-TV in July that the Pugh case marks the first time an employee, rather than another patient, is the suspect in a sex crime allegation at Ridgeview.

The facility has declined all media inquiries.

What comes next

Pugh remains in custody with no bond. No next court date has been publicly announced. The Cobb County investigation is ongoing, and prosecutors indicated additional charges are possible depending on witness interviews.

Residents concerned about child sexual abuse can contact the SafePath Children's Advocacy Center at safepath.org for crisis intervention and counseling.