California teacher, 34, who had sex with boy under 15, sobs in court after being torn apart by his mother

A former Riverside teacher broke down in tears on Monday as her victim’s mother recounted the horrific torment of her 14-year-old son who was abused by his pedophile teacher.

The mother spoke as Amanda Leigh Quinonez sobbed in the dock at the Riverside Superior Court for sentencing after having a sexual relationship with her student nearly four years ago.

Quinonez, a former teacher of Eleanor Rosevelt High School, who worked as a water polo and swim coach before her arrest on April 2022.

Speaking to the parents, Quinonez apologized through tears and admitted she failed as a teacher. She also said she hopes her own daughter would not judge her by the woman she is today, but by the woman she will become.

Quinonez pleaded guilty in March to two counts of sexual penetration with a foreign object and providing sexually explicit material to a minor, and one count of lewd acts on a child according to Patch.

The boy’s mother recalled that when she went to the baseball field asking for her son, the first coach stayed silent. A second coach then directed her back to the first, who later revealed that her son was in the administration building.

Once she arrived at the building, she saw her teenage son sitting silently next to a Sheriff’s Deputy. As time went on, she was made aware that a sexual relationship with Quinonez was taking place.

The boy then admitted the relationship and revealed that Quinonez had told him he needed to protect her.

As a result of the incident, he and his older brother had to quit the baseball team and went to a different school, due to being ridiculed by other students who had learned of the sordid teacher’s behavior.

Fighting back tears and gasping for air, the boy’s mother was alongside her husband, who told the court their son had gone through a lot and that other baseball players are still talking about his past high school relationship.

The former teacher is set to be taken into custody on Tuesday after being freed on $50,000 bond. She will also be sent to state prison for mental evaluation and will return to court on November 10 for sentencing.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters