The 32-year-old Californian elementary school teacher and mother-of-two who admitted performing sex acts on a 12-year-old student was sentenced on Friday to six-years in prison with no option for parole.
Malia Brooks, from Southern California, pleaded guilty in June to three counts of committing lewd acts with a child under 14 and faced up to 12-years in prison, but Judge Kevin McGee imposed a sentence half that because of the fact she was experiencing manic episodes at the time.
Brooks will also be required to pay an undisclosed restitution sum to the victim according to the Ventura County Superior Court, a $2,000 fine and when she finishes her sentence she will be on parole for five years.
During the sentencing, Judge McGee listened as the victim’s mother asked the judged to impose the full sentence on Brooks, so that her son would have time to ‘finish growing up and finish school.’
‘I don’t think she’s ever going to know how sick or dangerous she is,’ the mother said.
However, Michele Finseth, Brooks’ mother told the court that her daughter suffered a mental breakdown at the end of last year as a result of a possible rape she went through 17-years-ago in Sudan.
Finseth told the court that her family would travel as Christian missionaries around the world and at her request, Brooks began therapy sessions in August 2012 and they were still ongoing when she was arrested on June 11th.
However, deputy district attorney Erin Meister said that Brooks still choose to initiate the sexual encounter with the student.
‘She knew what she was doing was wrong and she still did it,” Meister said according to Simi Valley. “It seems she has not come to terms with what she has done.’
Judge McGee said this case was the most unique he had dealt with in his 30-year career.
‘She was a good person for years,’ McGee said. ‘Mrs. Brooks led an exemplary life and then something happened, but I still believe this is a six-year case.’
The 32-year-old was a sixth-grade teacher at Garden Grove elementary School in Simi Valley when she was arrested and charged with charged with one count of a lewd act upon a child, one count of oral copulation of a person under 14 and three counts of genital penetration by a foreign object with a person under 14 years of age when the suspect is more than 10 years older than the victim.
Prosecutors say the married mother-of-two had sex with the student earlier this year. Her attorney, Ron Bamieh, says Brooks suffered a ‘manic episode’ brought on by memories of teenage abuse.
She had taught at the school since 2004.
The school district had informed the police about the alleged inappropriate relations between a child and teacher on February 22.
She was removed from the classroom immediately and later resigned. Police do not suspect that there are any other victims.
Serious allegations: Police and school authorities held a press conference on Wednesday to reassure the public following Brooks’ arrest
Garden Grove Elementary School has provided counseling for any children affected by the events.
One distraught mother, whose daughter attends the school, told KTLA: ‘My daughter has a good relationship with that teacher and I still don’t believe it.’
She said that parents had been aware that an investigation was taking place and said the school had her full support for ‘trying to minimize the impact on their children’.
Brooks is being held on $2million bond as she is considered a flight risk.
Read more: Daily Mail
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