A former Simi Valley, Calif., teacher was arrested for having an inappropriate relationship a 14-year-old student and is being held on $2 million bail, authorities said Wednesday.
Sixth-grade teacher Malia Brooks, 32, pleaded not guilty for engaging in the relationship and lewd acts with the male student, reported NBC Los Angeles. She was a Garden Grove Elementary School teacher since 2004.
She faces several charges related to the alleged sexual relationship.
Ron Bamieh, her attorney, told NBC that she “has suffered from a mental illness.”
“We’ve had her diagnosed and she’s in treatment,” Bamieh added. “My guess is a lot of the charges precipitated from that illness.”
ABC-7 television reported that she has been on paid administrative leave since March.
“We’ve lived here for over 40 years and all my three boys went to school here at Garden Grove,” Simi Valley resident Sal Menchaca told ABC. “It’s sad because these are all young kids.”
According to CBS Los Angeles, there have been reports that Brooks had other victims, but local police officials did not comment on other alleged cases.
