Credit: Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department/Inside EditionA 28-year-old teacher from Arizona broke down in tears after admitting she had sex with a 13-year-old student in a school classroom.
The sixth grade teacher, Brittany Zamora, was arrested in March last year when the student’s parents found a number of illicit text messages she had sent the teenager. She now faces up to 30 years in prison.
At the time, she was charged with the felonies of sexual conduct with a minor, molestation, furnishing sexually explicit material and indecency.
Brittany Zamora/FacebookZamora reportedly used the school’s educational social media app to communicate with the boy, before apparently organising a number of meetings where they used another student to act as a lookout.
Court documents say the teacher and student touched either while the rest of the class watched a video, and on another occasion Zamora apparently drove to the teen’s grandparents house so they could have sex in her car.
The pair would allegedly swap intimate pictures, and write notes to each other.
The teacher started working at the school, Las Brisas Academy, a year before the allegations emerged. It is reported the teacher had sex with the pupil at least four times between February 1 and March 8, 2018.
Watch my interview tonight on @azfamily azfamily with @LindseyReiser re the Brittany Zamora Notice of Claim. I expect it will air at 9pm on 3TV and 10pm on CBS 5. pic.twitter.com/erQtqMboVU
— Russ Richelsoph (@RussLawAZ) August 9, 2018
The boy’s parents are said to be suing Liberty Elementary School District, saying school authorities did not do enough to protect their son.
They are seeking $1.9 million in damages, according to The Sun. Police records say the father told detectives: ‘His childhood is already gone. He’s 13.’
Zamora, who is married, reportedly worried what would happened to her if she went to jail, saying: ‘I’m little. They’re gonna tear me apart.’ While her husband remained supportive by her side, telling officers: ‘Brittany is an adult. She’s the best, the best person I’ve ever known.’
Zamora has entered a plea deal with prosecutors, admitting to sexual conduct with a minor, attempted molestation of a minor and public sexual indecency. The teacher is set to be sentenced on July 12 this year.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues, and want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000. If you are a child seeking advice and support call Childline for free on 0800 1111.
Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.