Jennifer Leigh Rice
Posted by: Webmaster in Elementary Schools, FE-MV, High Profile Cases, Teachers - Misc, Washington(8/13/07 - Initial BBT Report)
Jennifer Leigh Rice, 31, a former contract teacher at McKinley Elementary in Tacoma, Washington has been arrested on allegations of child rape.
Rice was arrested Saturday on one count of second-degree kidnapping, five counts of first-degree child rape and four counts of first-degree child molestation in a case alleging a 10-year-old boy who was the Rice’s former student at McKinley Elementary as victim.
Allegedly Rice took the 10-year-old boy with her when she left a party around 3 a.m. headed for an Idaho amusement park when they stopped at a rest area in Ellensburg, napped and had sex.
It is alleged that Rice confessed to having sex with the 10-year-old boy including doing so once in his bedroom while his parents slept and most recently at a freeway rest stop.
Reportedly when the boys parents discovered him missing contacted police who were in the process of releasing an Amber alert when Rice allegedly dropped the boy off at his uncle’s home in Puyallup on Saturday.
On Monday afternoon Rice was officially charged with first-degree kidnapping with sexual motivation with more charges expected.
Reportedly Rice was placed on paid administrative leave in April for socializing with students after school hours in violation of district policy and has not worked in the Tacoma school system since then.
Rice is being held on $500,000 bail.
Here’s a report from KING TV:
Update 8/16/07:
As the investigations, both official and news media, into the case of Jennifer Leigh Rice progresses additional information is coming available on various “problems” which surfaced during her career and which resulted in her being counseled, placed on administrative leave and ultimately resigning from multiple teaching positions over the course of her brief teaching career. In the majority of instances the problems centered on Rice’s fraternizing with students and “having a thing” for at least one male student.
Update 8/28/07:
Jennifer Leigh Rice has been granted permission by the court to communicate with her own by way of letters and phone calls while in jail. Rice has been unable to make the $500,000 bond. However if she does eventually make bond the arrangements regarding communicating with her children would be re-evaluated. Rice’s children are currently in the care and custody of her husband.
9/12/07 - More Charges Against Jennifer Rice
Jennifer Leigh Rice already facing numerous felony counts in a case alleging the victimization of a 10-year-old boy has been charged with 12 additional offenses.
The charges include crimes against a second victim who is between 14 and 16 years old plus additional charges alleging additional offenses against the 10-year-old victim who Rice allegedly kidnapped from his home in order to have sex with him. Allegedly Rice took the 10-year-old boy with her when she left a party around 3 a.m. headed for an Idaho amusement park when they stopped at a rest area in Ellensburg, napped and had sex.
The new offenses with which Rice is charged include six counts of first-degree child rape, four counts of first-degree child molestation and two counts of third-degree child rape.
Rice pleaded not guilty to the new charges today and remains jailed in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Update 9/16/07:
Tacoma Schools officials could have fired teacher Jennifer Leigh Rice last fall when they learned about her history of socializing with students, two attorneys say.
And officials knew of issues in Rice’s past earlier than they’ve previously acknowledged, personnel records appear to show.
11/21/07 Jennifer Rice’s Credentials Revoked
The state Department of Health reports the registered counselor credential of Jennifer Leigh Rice has been revoked for 20 years for having sex with a 10-year-old boy.
The department says Rice failed to respond to the administrative charges which arose in conjunction with criminal charges, which are still outstanding.
12/06/07 - Rice Can’t See Her Children
Superior Court Judge Vicki Hogan has ruled that Jennifer Rice won’t be able to see her children until her case is resolved.
Rice’s attorney, public defender Melanie MacDonald, argued that the holidays are coming up and that Rice’s children want to see their Mom. Rice’s husband and her parents were willing to supervise the jail house visits. Deputy prosecutor Grant Blinn opposed the request.
06/19/08 - Rice Gets New Lawyers, Trial Gets Delayed
Jennifer Rice has a new team of lawyers after her previous counsel quit the case yesterday. No reason is given for why the public defender walked. Two colleague of Rice’s first attorney are taking over her case.
The trial which was scheduled to start on Wednesday was postponed to October to give Rice’s new attorneys type to prepare for trial.
References:
Lawyer replaced, Tacoma teacher sex trial delayed (06/19/08)
Accused sex abuser can’t see her children, judge decides (12/06/07)
Pierce County, WA, registered counselor has credential revoked (11/21/07)
District knew teacher’s past, records show (9/16/07)
New sex-crime charges filed against former Tacoma teacher (9/12/07)
Ex-teacher allowed to communicate with her children (8/28/07)
Previous school trouble shown (8/16/07)
Ex-teacher had resigned twice (8/15/07)
Accused teacher worked in Yelm (8/15/07)
Teacher who allegedly had sex with boy, 10, is charged (8/13/07)
Former Teacher Accused Of Child Rape (8/13/07)
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June 27th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Are they ever going to take this trial? You see how long it too them to have the R. Kelly trial and when they finally did, it ended with a not guilty verdict. Sometimes that old saying ” Justice Delay means Justice Denied” comes true. Maybe her laywers or family are taking a page from R. Kelly’s play book. It sure worked for him. Maybe it will work for her as well.