Neches ISD board hires replacement for indicted elementary school principal

NECHES, Texas (KLTV) - Neches Independent School District board members approved the hiring of a new elementary school principal to replace a former employee accused of hindering an investigation into the alleged sexual assault.

A member of the Neches ISD administrative office confirmed the hiring of Amy Wilson. Wilson was approved by the Neches ISD school board on April 18 and will begin her duties as Neches ISD elementary principal on July 1.

Wilson will take over the role after former principal Kimberlyn Snider was placed on administrative leave following her arrest. Snider was arrested in Feb. 2021 after she was accused of hindering an investigation into an alleged sexual assault. She was eventually indicted by an Anderson County grand jury.

The indictments, one count of “tampering fabricating evidence” and five counts of “official oppression,” against Snider were handed up on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 with Snider’s accused actions allegedly taking place on September 29, 2020. The indictment lists five different people whom Snider allegedly subjected “to detention that the defendant knew was unlawful ... acting under color here employment as a public servant, namely Neches Elementary Principal.”

Snider is still employed by the district but has been on paid administrative leave since July 2021. The school board voted in Feb. 2021 to extend Snider’s contract until June 2023 in the wake of her indictment and arrest. Former Neches ISD Superintendent Randy Snider, Kimberlyn’s husband, said at the time that the extension was based on her job performance at the time.

Snider was expected to stand trial for her charges in March 2022. However, a mistrial was declared after her defense attorney, Steven Green, suffered a medical emergency. A new trial date has not been announced.

+ Mistrial declared after defense attorney suffers medical emergency in trial for former Neches ISD principal

+ Former Neches ISD principal to face March trial for alleged sex assault involvement

+ Neches ISD school board extends contract of principal arrested for allegedly hindering investigation into sexual assault of child

+ Neches ISD principal Kimberlyn Snider pleads not guilty in arraignment hearing

+ Neches ISD superintendent keeping wife as principal following arrest