Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct an error in the original version, which inaccurately stated the age of the inmate involved. New information now verifies the inmate's age as 31 years old.
A former Idaho Department of Correction officer, once praised for her leadership, is now facing felony charges, accused of engaging in sexual contact with an inmate at the Idaho State Correctional Center.
Court documents allege that in March 2025, 37-year-old Vanessa Day, then employed as a correctional officer, had sexual contact with a male inmate.
The complaint details multiple forms of genital contact, in violation of Idaho Code § 18-6110, which prohibits sexual contact between staff and incarcerated individuals.
WATCH: Full story on the former correctional officer now facing a felony charge
Day was celebrated by the department in 2023 as the president of IDOC’s graduating Class 5.24. In a speech shared publicly on the agency’s Facebook page, Day told her peers, “...the paths may diverge, but the purpose remains the same: to always serve with integrity, honor, and fairness.”
Last month, Idaho News 6 spoke with IDOC Director Bree Derrick during a sit-down interview about institutional culture and professional boundaries within the department. At the time, the interview was not connected to Day’s arrest, which had not yet occurred.
“But if people are getting confused and feeling like they're peers with people who are incarcerated or on supervision, I would say that needs to be reined in because that should not be the case,” Derrick said during the interview.
Idaho News 6 has received multiple tips alleging inappropriate relationships between officers and inmates. When asked about this, Derrick responded, “It should be a professional relationship, right? We have to have these professional working relationships. And there is a level of trust…”
As of Thursday, IDOC has not responded to questions regarding Day’s employment status or whether the department is tracking similar misconduct cases.
Court records show Day is currently out on bond. Her next court date has not yet been scheduled.
This is a developing story. Idaho News 6 will update as more information becomes available.
