[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
A former biology teacher has been arrested for alleged child molestation. She is now facing 29 individual criminal counts, according to People. Wow.
On Friday, the Contra Costa District Attorney released a statement discussing allegations made against Anessa Paige Gower, a teacher who used to work at Making Waves Academy in Richmond, California. The charter school has over 1,100 students in grades 5 through 12. During 2021 and 2022, Gower “allegedly engaged in numerous acts of a sexual nature with minors,” the statement declared.
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Authorities have revealed little information about the victims at this time except that the case involves seven minors. Their ages and genders were not disclosed. That said, statements have been taken from each victim and any known witnesses, the press release continued:
“Investigators took statements from the victims and witnesses about a number of incidents involving sex acts with minors, inappropriate touching, and sharing sexually graphic photos over online platforms.”
The former teacher, 35, was arrested last Wednesday at the Sacramento International Airport after returning home from a vacation in Hawaii. She is currently being held on a $2 million bond and has yet to enter any pleas to the many charges against her. These charges include statutory rape, lewd acts with a child under the age of 14, sending harmful matter to seduce a child, and more than two dozen counts of child molestation. So awful.
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The CEO of Making Waves Academy, Alton Nelson, addressed the devastating situation while speaking to local outlet KRON4, saying that the allegations were discovered “during the course of an investigation” conducted by the school. After learning that the teacher had violated school policy, an investigation uncovered “additional highly concerning allegations involving that teacher’s conduct.” Alton elaborated:
“We immediately shared that information with authorities who are reviewing the matter. That teacher is no longer employed by Making Waves Academy and we have reached out to parents, students and faculty to provide support where it might be needed. There is nothing more important than the health, safety and well-being of our students.”
This is not the first time the school has faced allegations of sexual abuse either. Learn more on the heartbreaking case (below):
We are thinking of all these young victims…
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
[Image via Richmond Police Department]
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