A former IDEA McAllen Public School teacher has been accused of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student.
Marisela Mendoza Winn, 39, of McAllen was charged with improper relationship between educator and student on Wednesday, according to the criminal complaint against her and Hidalgo County jail records.
An investigation began on Nov. 22, 2017, when a woman reported to McAllen police that her 16-year-old son—assigned the pseudonym “Fernando” in the criminal complaint—confessed he had a sexual relationship with his former English teacher, according to the criminal complaint. The woman reported that Fernando “also confessed to going to Maricela Mendoza Winn’s apartment multiple times to perform sexual acts,” according to the criminal complaint.
Throughout the course of an investigation, police say they found approximately 5,000 pages of texts between the two, including a vulgar text sent from Winn to Fernando.
Winn has refused to cooperate with police, the criminal complaint stated. She has since been released from IDEA Public Schools as police continue to investigate the allegations.
IDEA Public Schools sent a statement to CBS 4 News that reads in full:
IDEA Public Schools is committed to ensuring the safety of our students on the road to and through college. The employee in question has been on administrative leave as authorities conducted an investigation, and has since been released from IDEA Public Schools. We are cooperating fully with the investigation, and we have taken all appropriate actions in accordance with the law and network policy. As this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot comment any further. All questions should be directed to Hidalgo County.
Winn was released from the Hidalgo County jail on Wednesday. Court records don’t list an attorney for Winn, who couldn’t be reached for comment.
