An elementary school special education teacher has been accused of raping and molesting a 10-year-old student up to “five times a day” — and even recording the crimes on her phone.
Mahaela Benavides, 32, abused the boy for several months at Stevens Elementary School in Spokane, Washington, usually in a “time-out room” in the classroom and even while other students were present, the boy told investigators, according to an affidavit. Acquired by KXLY.
The perverted teacher also allegedly showed the boy sexual videos she took of herself saying his name — and even filmed herself performing sex acts on him in the classroom, according to the disturbing affidavit.
The teacher was an “extreme predator” who used her position of power to sexually assault the boy, Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Amanda Fry said during Benavides’ court appearance on Friday. According to the spokesperson’s review.
The unidentified child told investigators he was abused almost every day, starting over winter break — and “sometimes up to five times a day.”
The boy said the meetings, which took place mainly in a smaller room adjacent to the main classroom, lasted about five minutes because that’s how long “breaks” last.
Benavides told the child not to tell anyone or she would be expelled, according to the affidavit.
She also allegedly took sexual videos of herself and showed them to the boy at school. In one video, she uses the child’s name while speaking to the camera and amusing herself, according to the affidavit.
Police wrote in the affidavit that they also found videos of Benavides showing him performing a sex act on the child in the classroom.
The school’s principal called police last month after a student’s family member reported the alleged abuse, according to the Spokane Police Department.
Benavides was removed from teaching as soon as the district learned of the allegations, school district officials said.
She was arrested on Thursday, March 12 and charged with first-degree rape of a child and first-degree molestation.
Prosecutors said they were also concerned about witness tampering because Benavides tried to contact the victim while knowing she was under investigation.
The judge set her bail at $750,000 on Friday.
“Parents trust schools with their children every day. This trust exists because families believe their children will be safe in the care of responsible adults. Every child deserves that safety,” Sweetser Law Office, which represents the child’s family, said in a statement.