Heather Thompson Day and Seth Day: Texas Child-Abuse Allegations, Court Records and CPS Questions

Jaded Evidence Investigation | Casewatch WATCH-075 | Keene, Johnson County, Texas | Updated October 10, 2026

Two public Christian authors face distinct felony charges after a teacher’s report prompted a police investigation into alleged abuse of a 14-year-old. This report examines the timeline, what the arrest documents reportedly say, the history of CPS contacts, and the questions still unanswered.

Case status and editorial standards

Open criminal proceedings, not a conviction. This investigation separates allegations in affidavits and complaints from independently verified procedural events. Heather Marie Day (publicly known as Heather Thompson Day) and Seth Michael Day deny or have not been found guilty of the charged offenses. We do not identify the minor, publish school or medical records, or treat public speculation as evidence.

Who are Heather and Seth Day?

Heather and Seth Day public authors portrait

The married couple are Christian writers and public speakers who co-authored I’ll See You Tomorrow. Seth was an assistant professor of psychology at Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas. The university said it placed him on administrative leave and that the reported allegations did not involve its students or personnel. Heather previously hosted the Viral Jesus podcast; Religion News Service reported Christianity Today removed it pending clarity in the legal process.

How the investigation began

Booking photographs of Heather and Seth Day

According to arrest affidavits described by CBS Texas, a high-school teacher reported visible injuries to a 14-year-old student on September 24, 2026. Keene police interviewed the child through the Johnson County Children’s Advocacy Center. Officers documented injuries, and the child received hospital care. These steps initiated the criminal investigation; they do not, by themselves, establish the identity of the person responsible.

What the child reportedly alleged

The child alleged that Seth repeatedly struck her and most recently injured her with a cellphone on September 22, producing facial bruises and lacerations. During medical care, she also disclosed an alleged sexual assault by Seth on that date. Investigators later obtained a residential search warrant. Spectrum reported that a criminal complaint described recovery of an item whose location the child had identified, along with other observations investigators considered potentially corroborative. Those statements are prosecution-side allegations and have not been adjudicated.

Allegations involving Heather Day

The child told investigators that Heather was aware of repeated physical abuse but did not intervene or report it. According to the affidavits, the child also alleged that Heather gave medical professionals incomplete explanations for injuries and encouraged concealment, including a face covering. Investigators discussed a purported hereditary-angioedema explanation; a medical diagnosis, if any, must not be inferred from media accounts, and the source of injuries remains an evidentiary issue. Heather denied the allegations at her bond hearing, as reported by Spectrum.

Prior child-protection reports: what is known and unknown

The arrest affidavits refer to earlier Texas Child Protective Services reports, including an investigation dated August 8, 2026, and state that other reports were closed. The child reportedly linked moves between homes to CPS contact. Open questions: what allegations were made in each referral; what investigative findings or safety plans resulted; whether different agencies exchanged information; and what authorities knew before the September teacher report. A closed CPS report is not proof of either abuse or its absence. Confidential child-welfare records should not be published.

Arrest, charges and court status

Keene police arrested both adults September 24, 2026. Seth was initially charged with injury to a child; a first-degree sexual-assault-of-a-child charge followed September 25. Heather was charged with injury to a child by omission. Reports indicate they were released on bond, with monitoring, travel restrictions and protective-order conditions. These conditions and charges should be rechecked against the current Johnson County docket; bond is not an adjudication of guilt. No verdict is reported as of October 10, 2026.

Chronology

August 8, 2026: earlier CPS investigation referenced in affidavit.
September 22: date of alleged physical and sexual assaults.
September 24: teacher’s report, child interview and arrests.
September 25: additional sexual-assault charge against Seth.
September 28: Southwestern Adventist University publicly acknowledged administrative leave.
September 30–October 9: media reports summarized affidavits, complaint and bond conditions.
October 10: Jaded Evidence case review; proceedings ongoing.

Evidence and unresolved questions

Which photographs, medical findings, electronic communications and physical items are admitted into evidence? What chain-of-custody documentation exists for items recovered during the search? What are the exact statutory charging counts and cause numbers? What statements have counsel filed in court? What did CPS and school officials document before September 24? The answers require authenticated filings, testimony or official agency statements—not inference from publicity.

Reporting ethics and presumption of innocence

The child’s identity, image, school and identifying personal details are intentionally excluded. References to alleged sexual abuse are limited to what is necessary to explain the charges. The couple’s faith and public roles explain public interest but do not establish culpability or imply that any denomination or employer knew about alleged abuse. Jaded Evidence will correct or update this account as reliable records become available.

Source library

Records sought: Johnson County criminal complaints, arrest affidavits, bond and protective-order dockets, search-warrant return (redacted as necessary), and university statements. Source descriptions are not a substitute for authenticated court records.