Former teacher in Southern California pleads guilty to molesting 14-year-old girl

Leticia Juarez Image
Friday, May 24, 2019
Ex-Riverside teacher pleads guilty to molesting 14-year-old girl
The criminal case is closed, but the victim's mother wants answers from the school district.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- A former Riverside teacher pleads guilty to child molestation.

Prosecutors say she had a months-long relationship with a 14-year-old girl.

The criminal case is closed but the victim's mother wants answers from the school district.

For two years Shaterra Rodriguez has been out for justice against the woman who she says molested her daughter.

Camryn Zelinger is the former high school teacher that taught Rodriguez's then 14-year-old daughter.

Last Friday Zelinger pleaded guilty to a felony count for contacting a child with intent to commit a crime and two misdemeanor counts for child molestation involving Rodriguez's daughter and another student.

Under the plea agreement, Zelinger will have to register as a sex offender, attend classes for sex offenders and is required to spend 120 days behind bars that will occur on weekends.

Rodriguez says her daughter - now 16 - is still dealing with the trauma.

With the criminal case behind her Rodriguez is now suing the Riverside Unified School District for failing to protect her daughter. She says an email she wrote to the school was not followed up on regarding the number of tardies her daughter received.