A South Florida middle school teacher faces multiple criminal charges after professing her love to a 13-year-old student in text messages. She also tried to “lure” the boy into her classroom and kiss him, say police.
Andrea Jimenez, 47, a science teacher at Doral International Academy of Math & Science, surrendered to police Friday on two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct on a child and using a computer for prohibited purposes.
Reportedly, Jimenez began sending text messages to the boy in May 2018 when he was her student and only 12-years-old. In these communications, she “explicitly professed her love for him and her desire to engage with him in an intimate manner,” said Doral police in a statement.
Jimenez showered the student with gifts such as clothing, shoes, toys, books, and electronics. Police also said she urged the boy not to talk to girls his own age. Additionally, the two conversed over social media, although they never exchanged photos of themselves, according to the arrest report obtained by WPLG.
In June, Jimenez allegedly “lured” the boy into her classroom, grabbed his face, and attempted to kiss him. Then, over the summer, Jimenez became “aggressively romantic in an obsessive tone” in social media messages she sent to the boy through Snapchat and Instagram, said authorities.
“I will go to hell for u. Die for u stop eating to feed you,” wrote Jimenez in one of the text messages, according to the arrest affidavit. “My love for u is so real and huge!!! I don’t mind facing the devil himself for u.”
Doral police opened an investigation last week after the public charter school’s principal, Victoria Ramos-Gomez, reported the disturbing allegations to them. She learned about the purported teacher’s misconduct from the boy’s parents. Apparently, Jimenez admitted to some school staffers she acted inappropriately with the student and also texted the boy’s mother “begging” for forgiveness, according to WPLG.
The boy later told detectives he had no romantic interest in his science teacher.
Authorities booked Jimenez into Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center where she was released out on $17,500 bond.
Jude Faccidomo, the attorney for the accused teacher, told WTJV he believed police did not conduct a thorough investigation before arresting Jimenez. He said she will be vindicated once all the facts are presented.
“I think it is reckless, with charges this serious, both for a victim and for somebody being accused of a crime to be rushed to judgment, that’s not fair on any side,” said Faccidomo.
A school spokesman told WPTV they since fired Jimenez. He said there the school received no previous reports of inappropriate relationships between the teacher and other students. “As this is an ongoing investigation, school administrators will continue to work closely with authorities,” said school administrators in a prepared statement, adding that their “top priority is the privacy, safety, and security of students and families.”
The statement also indicated the school “committed additional personnel to support students who may have questions or need to share concerns regarding these matters.”
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