Avondale teacher aide accused of having sexual relationship with 8th grader

Arizona teacher aide accused of sexual misconduct

A teacher aide in Avondale is in police custody, amid allegations that she had an inappropriate relationship with an 8th grade student. FOX 10's Megan Spector reports.

AVONDALE, Ariz. - An Avondale teacher aide is in custody for allegedly having a sexual relationship with an 8th grade student.

What we know:

22-year-old Jessenia Rodriguez was a teacher aide at Sun Valley Academy, and according to the allegations, she had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old.

"You’re here today on a new matter. It is [alleged] that you committed one count of luring a minor for sexual exploitation. That is a class 4 felony. And four counts of sexual conduct with a minor. That is also a class 4 felony," a presiding judge told Rodriguez during her court appearance. 

We went by Rodriguez's home on April 17, where relatives confirmed she is still in custody, and that they haven't seen her since her arrest. Rodriguez's family members also said they didn’t know anything about the relationship.

Dig deeper:

Court documents say the 8th grader noted having sex with Rodriguez three times. About two weeks after the first time, Rodriguez told the student she was pregnant, and was contemplating abortion.

The victim stated Rodriguez repeatedly told him not to tell anyone, and said they would both be in a lot of trouble if anyone found out. Ultimately, the student’s stepmom found. She told the school, who then reported it to police.

Police paperwork says that after being arrested, Rodriguez admitted to her involvement in the matter. She said she gained emotional feelings for the victim, and discussed creating a family together when he turns 18, in three years.

Rodriguez reportedly told police she knew what she was doing was wrong, and even advised the victim to delete their messages because she was afraid of going to jail.

What they're saying:

Officials with Sun Valley Academy have issued the following statement:

"The safety and well-being of our scholars is our highest priority and we take this seriously. We are aware of an allegation involving a former employee and a scholar. Although the incident did not occur on campus, the matter was immediately reported to the Avondale Police Department and we are cooperating fully with their investigation.

Because this involves both a student and personnel matter, we are limited in what we can share due to federal privacy laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and employee confidentiality protections.

We continue prioritizing a safe and supportive learning environment for our scholars, cooperating with law enforcement and following all required reporting mandates."

What's next:

Per court documents, a judge has set a cash-only bond of $100,000 for Rodriguez.

"You are not to return to the scene of the alleged crime or have any contact with the alleged victim, witnesses, or complainant. You may not have any contact with minors. You may also not use the Internet expect for your pending legal case and work," a presiding judge told Rodriguez during her court appearance, listing some of the restrictions she'll face if she makes the cash-only bail.

Meanwhile, Avondale Police officials say the investigation into Rodriguez's pregnancy is ongoing. At this time, no other students are believed to be involved.