OAN Roy Francis
UPDATED 12:00 PM – Saturday, March 11, 2023
A California teacher who had been named one of the five 2022-2023 San Diego County teachers of the year, has been arrested under suspicions of sexually abusing a former 13-year-old student.
Jacqueline Ma, a 34-year-old sixth grade teacher at Lincoln Acres Elementary school was arrested on Tuesday morning. According to the National City Police Department, they had been contacted by a “concerned parent who suspected that her 13-year-old child was possibly having an inappropriate relationship with a former teacher.”
Authorities and school resource officers had “immediately” began an investigation into the allegations. Police said they had “developed probable cause to arrest” the 34-year-old teacher.
Ma had posted bail on the same day she was arrested, but was again arrested on Thursday on 14 new charges. These charges included two lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, seven counts of possession of child pornography, four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of prevention and dissuading of a witness, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
During a National School District board meeting, Superintendent Leighangela Brady assured the board and the community that the school is fully cooperating with law enforcement. She also said that they will make sure the schools continue to “run smoothly.”
“We are committed to cooperating with our law enforcement,” Brady said. “We do remain cognizant that we cannot comment on the pending investigation, so will continue to work to make sure that our schools run smoothly.”
Ma had accepted her Teacher of the Year award in August, thanking her students and husband. She had previously spoken with KUSI News about the award saying that it was “surreal” that she was “chosen to represent all the amazing educators in San Diego.”
The 34-year-old is due back in court on March 13th.