Guilty! Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, Redlands, California (arrested July 2013)

Digital Journal: California teacher arrested after allegedly having student's baby (July 6 2013)

CBS Los Angeles reports 28-year-old Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst stands accused of having a year-long illicit relationship with a 16-year-old student at Citrus Valley High School in Redlands, where she taught English. "They met approximately a year ago and started talking away from school and developed a relationship there," Redlands Police Cmdr. Shawn Ryan told reporters following Whitehurst's Monday arrest. "One thing led to another and he ended up at her residence and it's been going on for about a year." Whitehurst was an adviser to the teen, who allegedly impregnated her late last year. She gave birth to the baby boy on June 18.​

​

CBS Los Angeles also reports that another one of Whitehurst's former students has come forward with allegations that he too engaged in an illicit sexual relationship with her. "I was 17, she was 23 at the time," Michael Cooper said. "In no way do I feel victimized at all. I was 17, I was hormonal, I had a good time. I was excited it was happening at the time. But it's done, it's over with. I'm not emotionally scarred." ​

 

​

 

L.A. Times: School waited to tell police about teacher who had student's baby (July 6 2013)

Police now say [Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst] may have had inappropriate sexual relationships with three students from two different schools, authorities say ... The Redlands Daily Facts, quoting a police search warrant, reported Saturday that school officials waited six weeks before reporting the allegations to police. Under state law, they are required to report such allegations immediately, the paper said. "Evidence from emailed communications and personnel files may show teachers, school administrators, and district administrators failed to report suspected child abuse as mandated," the search warrant said. San Bernardino County prosecutors say they have been in contact with Redlands police and expect to review possible charges early next week.​

 

L.A. Times: School waited to tell police about teacher who had student's baby (July 6 2013)

Police now say [Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst] may have had inappropriate sexual relationships with three students from two different schools, authorities say ... The Redlands Daily Facts, quoting a police search warrant, reported Saturday that school officials waited six weeks before reporting the allegations to police. Under state law, they are required to report such allegations immediately, the paper said. "Evidence from emailed communications and personnel files may show teachers, school administrators, and district administrators failed to report suspected child abuse as mandated," the search warrant said. San Bernardino County prosecutors say they have been in contact with Redlands police and expect to review possible charges early next week.​

 

Press Enterprise: REDLANDS: Teacher police say had student's child faces 41 felonies (July 8 2013)

A former Redlands teacher [Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst] was charged Monday, July 8, with 41 felonies alleging that she had sexual relationships with three students, including one who police say fathered her baby ... The charges include 30 counts of unlawful sex with a boy who is now 17 and 11 counts of oral copulation, one of which applies to a man who is now 21 years old and 10 of which involve a man who is now 22 years old.​

 

KPCC: Redlands teacher charged with 41 counts of sex crimes (July 8 2013)

A Redlands high school teacher accused of having a student's baby was charged Monday with 41 counts of sex and oral copulation with a minor, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release. Laura Whitehurst, 28, was arrested at her apartment last Monday for unlawful sex with a minor. She was released July 1 after posting $25,000 bail but arrested again today without incident, the District's Attorney's Office told NBC4. Since this initial allegation, two additional male victims have come forward—both claiming to have had sexual contact with Whitehurst while they were minors.​

Link courtesy KPCC: Felony Complaint (PDF)

 

San Bernardino County District Attorney: District Attorney Charges Redlands High School Teacher [Press Release] (July 8 2013)

A Redlands high school teacher, who gave birth last month to a baby allegedly fathered by her teen student, has been charged with multiple counts of Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with a minor. Since this initial allegation, two additional male victims have come forward—both claiming to have had sexual contact with Whitehurst while they were minors. Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, 28, of Redlands, is charged with 41 felony counts of Unlawful Sexual Intercourse and Oral Copulation of a Person Under 18. If convicted as charged, she could face a maximum sentence of up to 29 years in state prison. Whitehurst was arrested on Monday, July 1, and released after posting $25,000 bail. As a result of new charges filed by prosecutors, bail was increased to $750,000 and a new arrest warrant was issued for Whitehurst. Whitehurst was arrested today without incident and taken into custody. The case was investigated by the Redlands Police Department and Deputy District Attorney Melissa Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.​

 

San Bernardino Sun: Redlands teacher charged with 41 counts of committing sex acts with students (July 8 2013)

Whitehurst is accused of having sexual relationships with three students in the Redlands Unified School District, one of whom is believed to have fathered her baby, born June 18 ... Whitehurst has been charged with 30 counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with the now-17-year-old who allegedly fathered her child. She faces 11 felony counts of oral copulation of a person under 18, one count of which is alleged to have taken place in 2007 and involved a now-21-year-old, according to the court file. The remaining 10 counts are from 2007 to 2008 and involve a now-22-year-old, the charges state.Prosecutors charged former Citrus Valley High School teacher Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst on Monday with 41 felony counts of unlawful sex acts with a minor. ​

 

NBC Los Angeles: Calif. High School Teacher Charged With 41 Counts of Sex With Students (July 9 2013)

A Redlands, Calif., high school teacher accused of having a baby allegedly fathered by a teen student was charged Monday with 41 counts of sex and oral copulation with a minor. Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, 28, was arrested a week ago after the mother of a Citrus Valley High student contacted school officials about the suspected relationship between her son and the English teacher ... After Whitehurst and the boy confirmed details of the relationship to a Redlands police detective, authorities made the accusations public. Then, at least two other men came forward and said they had had sexual relations with Whitehurst in 2007 and 2008.​

 

ABC Local KABC: Redlands woman arrested again, accused of sex with more students (July 8 2013)

Laura Whitehurst, 28, was charged Monday with additional multiple counts of unlawful sex with a minor. Since her original arrest on July 1, two more male victims came forward to claim they had sexual contact with Whitehurst while they were minors. Whitehurst is charged with 41 felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and oral copulation of a person under 18.​

 

Daily News: Redlands teacher's arrest for sex with student shows educators aren't cops: Opinion (July 8 2013)

It's understandable that RUSD would want to tread carefully where a teacher's and a student's reputations are concerned. But this wasn't just any allegation -- a teacher bullying a classroom, say, or a student cheating onTeachers aren't cops, and a charge as grave as the sexual abuse of a student deserved the attention of police, who are the true experts at determining whether an allegation is "credible." exams. Whitehurst was being accused of sexually abusing an underage student. This deserved more than an in-house interview with Whitehurst and the teenage boy -- a point underscored by the fact that Whitehurst faces sex charges in the case and now stands accused of engaging in sexual relationships with other students. ​

 

L.A. Times: Police: School kept quiet about teacher who had student's baby (July 8 2013)

Redlands school district officials waited six weeks to tell police about allegations of a sexual relationship between a teenage student and a teacher [Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst] who later gave birth to his baby, according to court records. The Redlands Police Department said in a search warrant that school officials appeared to ignore state law, which mandated educators to immediately report abuse allegations to authorities ... The police search warrant alleges that the school district began investigating the accusations May 16 or May 17 but did not notify Redlands police or a child protection agency until July 1, when the boy’s mother complained to school officials about Whitehurst. The search warrant sought records that “may shows teachers. school administrators and district administrators failed to report suspected child abuse as mandated.” The warrant said that in May, the boy was interviewed by Citrus Valley High’s principal and an assistant superintendent questioned Whitehurst.​

​

In a statement, Redlands Unified Supt. Lori Rhodes denied any wrongdoing and said the district received the first credible information about a possible relationship on July 1 when the teen’s mother came forward. She said that Assistant Supt. Sabine Roberson Phillips called police with the mother present. Whitehurst was arrested that day. Rhodes said someone told school officials in May that a student and teacher may be involved but did not provide any evidence. At that time, both were interviewed and “were adamant that nothing improper had occurred, and there was no credible evidence to contrary,” according to the statement.​

 

LAist: Teacher Who Had Student's Baby Charged With 41 Sex Crimes (July 8 2013)

A Redlands high school teacher who gave birth to a baby fathered by one of her teenage students was charged Monday with 41 felony counts of sexual intercourse and oral copulation with not one, not two, but three teenage boys ... Following Whitehurst's arrest, two other students came forward to report that they had engaged in sexual intercourse at Redlands High School with Whitehurst, who taught with Redlands Unified School District for six years. She worked at Redlands High until 2009, when she left to teach at Citrus Valley. A total of 30 of the 41 felony counts against Whitehurst involve the baby's father. The other counts concern two other students, both of whom are now men, ages 20 and 22. One of the victims was as young as 14 when he allegedly began a sexual relationship with the teacher.​

​

 

Chicago Tribune: Redlands superintendent denies cover-up of pregnant teacher case (July 8 2013)

The Redlands schools superintendent denied an allegation in a police search warrant that school officials failed to immediately report their knowledge of a sexual relationship between a student and teacher that resulted in a baby. Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, 28, was arrested last week on suspicion of having sex repeatedly with a 16-year-old Citrus Valley High School student and is now under investigation for having sexual contact with at least two other students during her six-year tenure. ​

​

...​

​

But the warrant for district records first obtained by NBC-TV Channel 4 seeks evidence showing that teachers and administrators "failed to report suspected child abuse as mandated." The search warrant written by Det. Dominick Povero also revealed that Whitehurst's relationship with the student began after a July 2012 trip to Disneyland and involved numerous acts of sex even after the teacher became pregnant. According to the warrant, the boy was present when Whitehurst gave birth in June.​

 

CBS Local Los Angeles: Redlands Teacher Who Reportedly Gave Birth To Student’s Baby Faces More Sex Charges (July 8 2013)

KNX 1070’s Mike Landa reported that Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, 28, was re-arrested Monday and charged with 41 felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and oral copulation involving three minors. Her bail was raised from $25,000 to $750,000 ...​

WTSP: Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, 28, faces more charges after reportedly having student's baby (July 9 2013)

 

UK Daily Mail: Teacher, 28, 'whose baby was fathered by her teen student' charged with 41 sex crimes after two more 'victims' came forward (July 9 2013)

• Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst arrested last and released on $25,000 bail
• Her baby 'was fathered by 16-year-old student she advised'
• He was said to be at the hospital when the baby was born
• Second 'victim was 16 when they had sexual relationship in 2007 after she told him she had dreamed about kissing him'
• Third 'victim was just 14 when they had sex in her classroom and car'
• Faces up to 29 years in prison

 

L.A. Times: Teacher-teen relationship 'ongoing,' teen at baby's birth, police say (July 9 2013)

Police say a Redlands high school teacher who had a student’s baby admitted to them that she had an “ongoing sexual relationship” with the boy. Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, 28, was arrested last week on suspicion of having sex numerous times with a Citrus Valley High School student. She gave birth last month to a child fathered by the now 17-year-old student. After her arrest, two other former students came forward saying they had had sex with her during her six years as teacher in the Redlands Unified School District. According to a July 3 search warrant, Whitehurst allegedly acknowledged during a recorded phone call with the boy that they had had an "ongoing sexual relationship, the birth of the child and [the unidentified victim] being the father of the child.” ... Redlands detectives had the boy call the AP English teacher so they could gather more proof that she had sex with the minor repeatedly.​

 

L.A. Times: Redlands teacher who bore child pleads not guilty to abusing 3 boys (July 9 2013)

A Redlands high school teacher whose child was fathered by a teenage student pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 41 felony counts of sex crimes with three boys she taught. Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, 28, whom her lawyer called "a clean-cut American girl," remained behind bars on $750,000 bail.​

 

KTLA: Redlands Teacher Pleads Not Guilty to Having Sex With Students (July 9 2013)

​

A Redlands teacher [Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst] suspected of having a child with an underage student pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday after being charged with 41 felony sex crimes involving three boys ... She was re-arrested on Monday to be officially charged. A San Bernardino County judge also increased her bail from $25,000 to $750,000.​

 

NY Daily News: Calif. teacher arrested again for having sex with more teens after having student's baby: police -- Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst faces 41 felony counts of sexual intercourse and oral copulation with minors, the San Bernardino County District Attorney's office says (July 9 2013)

The California high school teacher suspected of birthing a student's child and sleeping with at least two others was charged Monday with multiple felonies. Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, 28, faces 41 counts of sexual intercourse and oral copulation with minors, the San Bernardino County District Attorney's office said.​