34-Year-Old 'Teacher of the Year' Jacqueline Ma Arrested for Alleged Sexual Abuse

According to San Diego County Sheriff's Department records acquired by NBC 7, Jacqueline Ma, a 34-year-old sixth-grade instructor at Lincoln Acres Elementary School in National City, was charged with three counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 and three counts of oral copulation with a child under 14.

According to National City Police, a worried mother of a 13-year-old former student of Ma's got in touch with them because she thought her child was "potentially having an illicit relationship" with the teacher.

District Superintendent Leighangela Brady said in a statement to NBC 7 that she was detained on the school property on Tuesday at 8 a.m., but she was not in close proximity to any pupils.

The superintendent of the National School District told NBC 7 that the school administration is only aware of one alleged victim who is no longer a student.

The district was however striving to identify Ma's replacement, said Brady.

The police reported that Ma had been checked into the Las Colinas Women's Correctional Prison.

The exact date of the abuse is unknown. Due to the victim's age and the continuing investigation, police have not provided any other details.

According to her LinkedIn profile, she has been a teacher at the school since 2013, and the San Diego County Office of Education named her one of the "Teachers of the Year" for the 2022–2023 academic year.

Numerous Lincoln Acres parents told NBC 7 that they believed Ma had a wonderful connection with her students, but some saw some warning signs.

According to New York Post, Aileen Carillo, who spoke to the media revealed her young brother was Ma's previous pupil, and she was "over the top" in her conversations with him.

Aileen Carillo recalled asking her mother why she was contacting her brother so much. She originally thought it was lovely since it demonstrated how much she cared, but she also had many excellent teachers who didn't need to be around.

The defendant is now charged with six felonies, including three counts of lewd and lecherous behavior toward a victim under the age of 14 and three counts of oral sexual contact with a child.

Fox 5 San Diego reported that the defendant is a married woman who’s taught at Lincoln Acres Elementary since 2013.

Until her arrest, a sign outside the house purportedly displayed her "Teacher of the Year" honors.

Ma received recognition for her work in the classroom in 2022 as one of five teachers in the county.

Jacqueline Ma, the San Diego Teacher of the Year, discusses how she connects with disinterested kids in a video interview that KUSI posted just six months ago.

The court date for Ma is March 14.