Teacher ‘left man for boy, 13, she was raping and the youngster called her ‘crystal meth”

Disturbing new details have emerged about a Los Angeles teacher who was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a young teenager.

Colleen Jo Matarico, 43, a teacher at John Burroughs Middle School, was taken into custody last week on suspicion of child abuse.

At the time, investigators believed she “groomed and sexually assaulted a 13-year-old victim in her classroom and later convinced the victim to have sexual intercourse in her car.”

But prosecutors now say Matarico abused the boy for more than a year and left her husband because of her “love” for the teen, describing him as “her crystal meth.”

During her court appearance on Tuesday, Matarico pleaded not guilty to five felony counts of indecent acts against a child under the age of 14, two misdemeanor counts of indecent acts toward a child 14 or 15 years old, and one misdemeanor count of providing a controlled substance to a child aged 14 or 15. minor.

Her lawyer argued that Matarico should be released without bail, the newspaper said LA times.

But Deputy District Attorney Ariel Anson told the court she had received text messages indicating Matarico had no plans to end the relationship if she was released.

Anson alleged that the inappropriate relationship began when the child turned 13 and that most of the abuse occurred between August and November 2023.

‘She first met him when he was twelve years old. And the inappropriate relationship started at the age of 13, while she was still his teacher. After the investigation, which she thought was over, the relationship did not end,” Anson said. according to CBS News.

“In the messages between her and that minor, she indicates that she is in love with him, that he is the only person she would go to prison for and that he is her crystal meth.”

The accuser further alleged that the abuse worsened when Matarico discovered she would be arrested, noting that two of the charges are based on more recent behavior.

According to CBS News, Matarico’s ex-husband and other family members had begged her several times to stop, but to no avail.

Anson also accused the teacher of contacting one of the victim’s friends on Instagram to continue communicating with the boy.

At one point, the teenage boy allegedly told one of Matarico’s relatives that the teacher “can be very jealous and he is worried and scared,” Anson told the court.

According to the prosecutor, the victim was “particularly vulnerable and Matarico abused a position of trust as a teacher to commit the crimes.”

Officials also alleged that Matarico showed a lack of remorse while committing the alleged crime.

Judge Susan J. De Witt refused to release the teacher on Tuesday.

When the judge asked if Matarico wanted to respond, she shook her head and refused.

Director Dr. Steve Martinez of John Burroughs Middle School told DailyMail.com exclusively last week that they are cooperating with the Los Angeles Police Department’s investigation and confirmed the suspect was arrested off campus.

“The safety of our students and our school community remains our top priority. On November 7, we were notified that a Burroughs employee had been arrested off-campus for alleged misconduct with a minor,” Martinez said.

‘At the end of October 2023, the school became concerned about this employee. When we received these concerns, we immediately contacted the Los Angeles Police Department and removed the employee from campus.

“After the Los Angeles Police Department received permission to notify the school community, an alert was sent to families about these allegations. District protocols are being followed and we continue to work with local authorities. Due to the ongoing law enforcement investigation, we cannot release any further details on this matter.

“We can be assured that the safety of our students remains our top priority. Students and the wider school community are always encouraged to share any concerns with their school or local authorities.

‘We remain committed to supporting Burroughs MS and the wider school community with counseling and support services. We understand that some students may be affected by this incident.

‘Students can always contact teachers, supervisors or school staff for support.’

The judge set Matarico’s bail at $590,000. If she posts bail, she will be required to wear a GPS monitoring device.

Her next court date is set for November 26.

Officials have asked anyone with information about other potential victims to contact LAPD Juvenile Division detectives or CrimeStoppers.