Jacqueline Ma, a former teacher from San Diego and recipient of the 'Teacher of the Year' award, pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two of her young students. The case shocked the community due to Ma's previous accolades and her position of trust within the school.
Jacqueline Ma, a 35-year-old former teacher from San Diego, was arrested in 2023 and charged with engaging in sexual relationships with two of her students, who were 11 and 12 years old at the time of the offenses. During her arrest, authorities discovered a photograph of one of the victims in her wallet, along with jewelry bearing his initials and love letters found in her classroom.
Prosecutors alleged that Ma sent explicit images to the 12-year-old student and coerced him into sending explicit videos back. This inappropriate behavior, according to Deputy District Attorney Drew Hart, began when the victim was 12 years old. However, in a surprising turn of events, Ma pleaded guilty to four felony counts in a plea deal with prosecutors on February 5th, 2023. These charges included two counts of lewd acts with a child under age 14, with duress; a lewd act involving a second child under 14; and possessing material containing a minor engaged in or simulating sexual conduct.In court, as the judge inquired about her guilt or innocence, Ma tearfully admitted to her crimes. Hart emphasized the significance of charging Ma with sex offenses committed under duress, a point reflected in her plea. Both victims were students at Lincoln Acres Elementary School, where Ma taught, when the abuse took place. In August 2022, she was among five teachers honored as San Diego County Teacher of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year. Hart stated that this plea deal sends a strong message to the community, highlighting that leveraging a position of trust and exploiting the good faith of parents to abuse children will result in severe consequences.
SEXUAL ABUSE TEACHER CALIFORNIA PLEA DEAL CHILD ABUSE TRAUMA JUSTICE SYSTEM
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