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Former Teacher Confronted In YouTube Video Faces Sexual Assault Charges
Andrea Cardosa, the ex-Alhambra educator whose name was known across the Internet following a viral video of a former student confronting her over the phone, will face charges of sexual assault.A $5 million arrest warrant was issued for Cardosa, ABC 7 reports. Cardosa, 40, also used to work as a PE teacher at Chemawa Middle School in Riverside, where she allegedly began her relationship with former student Jamie Carrillo.
Carrillo posted a seven-minute video of herself calling Cardosa and confronting her on allegations of sexual abuse. In the video, Cardosa doesn't seem to refute any of the accusations levied against her—she admits that what she did was wrong and that she regrets it every day.
"Do you know that I am completely messed up? That I have so many issues because of you?" Carrillo asks Cardosa in the video.
"I only...I just wanted to help you," Cardosa responded.
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Cardosa resigned immediately after the video was posted.
Since the video went viral, one other student has come forward detailing abuse at the hands of Cardosa.
The Riverside County District Court has charged Cardosa with 16 counts of aggravated sexual assault on a child under the age of 14, as well as lewd acts on a child 14 or 15 years of age while the defendant is at least 10 years older than the victim, NBC 4 reports. Each of those counts carry a possible life sentence if Cardosa is convicted. She has yet to be apprehended.
UPDATE 2/4: Cardosa has admitted to police that she had a relationship with at least one of her former students, the L.A. Times reports. Riverside Detective Roberta Hopewell said that Cardosa "admitted to having a sexual relationship" with Jamie Carrillo, the student who posted the vial YouTube video, when Carrillo was as young as 14.
She is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday.
UPDATE 7:20 P.M.: Andrea Cardosa was arrested by authorities in Perris, ABC 7 reports.
Related:
Video: Woman Calls And Confronts The Teacher Who Allegedly Molested Her
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