Award-winning California elementary school teacher, 34, is accused of sexually abusing a child under the age of 14
- Jacqueline Ma was charged with three counts of oral copulation with a child under the age of 14
- Ma, 34, taught sixth grade at Lincoln Acres Elementary School in San Diego
- In 2022 she was named one of San Diego’s Top Five Teachers of the Year.
An award-winning California elementary school teacher was arrested Tuesday and charged with sexually assaulting a student at the San Diego school where she taught.
Jacqueline Ma, who taught sixth grade at Lincoln Acres Elementary School, was charged with six counts of sexual misconduct, including three for oral copulation with a child under 14 and three for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14. .
The 34-year-old was one of five San Diego teachers selected as “Teachers of the Year” in 2022. According to her LinkedIn page, she had worked at the school since 2013.
There is believed to have been only one victim of Ma’s predation. Police said the student no longer attended the school where Ma taught, and it is unclear how the abuse came to light.
Jacqueline Ma was charged with three counts of oral copulation with a child under the age of 14
Ma taught sixth grade at Lincoln Acres Elementary School, south of San Diego
The San Diego Sheriff’s Department said Ma was arrested at 8 a.m. Tuesday out of sight of the students.
“Both law enforcement and our site staff collaborated to ensure student learning and campus climate were not disrupted,” the department said in a statement.
“We can confirm that the student is no longer attending our school and assure you that we will do everything possible to support the investigation.”
Police said Ma was arrested “on charges of having a physically inappropriate relationship with a former student.”
Ma was sent to the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Center after her arrest, where she was booked on $100,000 bond.
She is due in court on March 9.
Ma, 34, was one of five San Diego teachers selected as “Teachers of the Year” in 2022. According to her LinkedIn page, she had worked at the school since 2013.
School district superintendent Leighangela Brady confirmed the arrest in a statement to NBC 7.
Brady also confirmed that there was only one known victim and that she was no longer attending the school.
‘We know that our entire school community is as stunned as we are by this news. The district will cooperate with law enforcement and cannot comment further on the pending investigation,” Brady’s statement read.
“We will continue to do everything possible to keep our students’ safety, needs and education first and foremost.”
According to Brady, the school is hiring a substitute teacher to replace Ma.
When she was named Teacher of the Year 2022, an award profile for Ma said that she “regards the relationships she has with her students as her greatest accomplishments,” according to NBC 7.