TEACHER JAILED IN MOLESTING OF YOUNG TEEN POLICE: BOY ASSAULTED BY ADULT WOMAN.Byline: RICK COCA Staff Writer VAN NUYS -- A 40-year-old woman who teaches in a private home-schooling group has been arrested, suspected of molesting a 14-year-old boy she's been teaching, police said Friday. Los Angeles Police Department "LAPD" and "L.A.P.D." redirect here. For other uses, see LAPD (disambiguation).  This article or section is written like an . Van Nuys detectives arrested Meredith
Johnson Vincent of Van Nuys, a married mother of three, about 3 p.m.,
said LAPD 1. LAPD - Link Access Procedure on the D channel.2. LAPD - Los Angeles Police Department. Capt. Jim Miller. "This woman is a sexual predator," said Miller, noting the seriousness of the 14-count felony indictment against Vincent. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has charged Vincent with sodomy and oral copulation copulation /cop·u·la·tion/ (kop?u-la´shun) sexual union; the transfer of the sperm from male to female; usually applied to the mating process in nonhuman animals. cop·u·la·tion n. 1. of a person under 16, unlawful sexual intercourse and sending harmful matter. Miller said the latter typically consists of sending a minor sexually explicit photos. Police said the boy's mother called police after becoming aware that something sexual was going on. The complaint filed by the D.A.'s Office alleges that the molestation molestation n. the crime of sexual acts with children up to the age of 18, including touching of private parts, exposure of genitalia, taking of pornographic pictures, rape, inducement of sexual acts with the molester or with other children, and variations of these took place between Sept. 6 and Oct. 6. If convicted on all counts, Miller faces "substantial time in state prison," said Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office. Miller said Vincent's husband, whose name was not released, has been cooperative with police. Vincent's bail was set at $550,000. She worked for several people as a part of a home-school home·school or home-school v. home·schooled, home·school·ing, home·schools v.tr. To instruct (a pupil, for example) in an educational program outside of established schools, especially in the home. group and had contact with other children, Miller said. "Our concern is there may be other victims out there that used her as a teacher-tutor," Miller said. Women molesting children is a rare occurrence and when it does occur, it often gets massive coverage by the news media, Miller said. In one such case in Washington state, Mary Kay Letourneau Mary Fualaau (born January 30 1962, formerly known as Mary Kay Letourneau and Mary Katherine Schmitz , a wife, mother and school teacher, was convicted of molesting a sixth-grade student. She became pregnant, served time in prison and eventually married the student and had another child with him. Sensationalistic sen·sa·tion·al·ism n. 1. a. The use of sensational matter or methods, especially in writing, journalism, or politics. b. Sensational subject matter. c. Interest in or the effect of such subject matter. appeal aside, molestation allegations against women should not be taken lightly, Miller said. "We don't look at it in society the same as a male having sex with a 14-year-old girl, but it can have an equally devastating dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. impact on young boys," Miller said. Anyone with information about other victims or information related to this case are asked to call the Van Nuys Area Sexual Assault Unit at (818) 374-0090. After hours and on weekends, call the 24-hour detective information desk at (877) LAW-FULL (529-3855). rick.coca(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: VINCENT |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion