California teacher sentenced for sex abuse of 14-year-old student breaks down in court
Former Riverside teacher Amanda Quinonez sobbed as the victim's mother described the lasting damage inflicted on her teenage son. Sentencing is set for November 10.
Former Riverside swim coach weeps as victim's mother delivers impact statement
A former California teacher wept openly in court Monday as the mother of her 14-year-old victim described the lasting harm done to her son, NY Post Metro reports.
Amanda Leigh Quinonez, 34, appeared before Riverside Superior Court for a pre-sentencing hearing after pleading guilty in March to two counts of sexual penetration with a foreign object, one count of lewd acts on a child, and one count of providing sexually explicit material to a minor. Quinonez had taught at Eleanor Roosevelt High School and worked as a water polo and swim coach before her arrest in April 2022.
The victim's mother addressed the court directly, recounting the moment she went to a baseball field looking for her son and was redirected by coaches before finding the teenager sitting silently next to a Sheriff's Deputy. It was there she learned that a sexual relationship between her son and Quinonez had been taking place.
The boy later confirmed the relationship and told his family that Quinonez had instructed him to protect her.
The fallout extended beyond the abuse itself. Both the victim and his older brother left the baseball team and transferred to a different school after other students learned of the relationship and subjected them to ridicule. The boys' father told the court that his son had endured a great deal and that former teammates continue to bring up the incident.
Quinonez, addressing the boy's parents through tears, apologized and acknowledged she had failed as a teacher. She also expressed hope that her own daughter would not define her by who she is today, but by who she would become.
Quinonez is set to be taken into custody Tuesday, having been released on a $50,000 bond. She will be sent to state prison for mental evaluation and is due back in Riverside Superior Court on November 10 for formal sentencing.
Source: NY Post Metro