Texas substitute teacher and her boyfriend arrested in shocking case involving a 5-year-old
A former substitute teacher, Madison Paige Jones, 30, and her boyfriend were arrested in Texas on child sex charges involving a 5-year-old, according to the Midlothian Police Department. Jones was arrested on December 17 after officers were dispatched to investigate a report of a potential sexual assault involving a child. The teacher was charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child as well as additional related offenses. Her charges include more than 500 visual depictions of child pornography and two counts of indecency with a child, per the San Antonio Express-News. The investigation led to the arrest of Zackery Dondlinger, a 37-year-old man from Happy, Texas, on December 23, who was charged with sexual performance by a child. Authorities told CBS News that Jones and Dondlinger were dating. It was unclear what, if any, relation the child had to the suspects.
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Jones charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child and related offenses
Jones is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, along with additional related offenses. Her charges include more than 500 visual depictions of child pornography and two counts of indecency with a child, per the San Antonio Express-News. Authorities told CBS News that Jones and Dondlinger were dating. It was unclear what, if any, relation the child had to the suspects. There was an allegation made that she was involved in an offense against a child, and a boyfriend was involved as well,\u00a0Midlothian Assistant Chief of Police Scott Brown told PEOPLE.\u00a0She was employed in our local school [Midlothian Independent] district, and this has no connection with her job as a teacher. There is no nexus between her work in education in this case.
Midlothian ISD response and school ties
Jones had subbed four times in the Midlothian Independent School District within the past year at two different schools: Baxter Elementary on October 28, October 29, November 3, and one day at Heritage High School on November 19. In an email to Heritage families, the school district noted that safety and security are always top priorities. District officials added they were made aware of the arrest of a substitute, but did not name Jones directly. At this time, there is no indication that the charges are related to the individual's role as a substitute teacher or that anything occurred at an MISD campus or activity, wrote the District. We are sharing this information out of an abundance of caution because of the seriousness of the charges. The message went on to list the crimes Jones allegedly committed. The district added that the substitute teacher is no longer employed by MISD. The substitute teacher did not commit any of the alleged crimes on any MISD campus where she worked.
Evidence and confession: recording, messages and Snapchat
A friend of Jones exposed her to the authorities after the substitute teacher told her she recorded herself performing sexual acts with a 5-year-old child and then sent the video to her boyfriend, according to Dondlinger’s arrest warrant affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. The affidavit revealed that Jones allegedly 'admitted to recording sexual videos' in an interview with police. 'Madison admitted she sent the videos to her boyfriend, Zackary, on Snapchat,' the affidavit stated. Detectives searched Jones's phone and allegedly found a sexually explicit message between the couple about the child, according to the affidavit obtained by the outlet.
Current status and ongoing investigation
Jones was booked into the Ellis County Jail with a $90,000 bond. Dondlinger is being held at the Winkler County Jail and is awaiting arraignment, according to the police department's statement. The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with additional information related to this case is asked to contact the department at 972-775-3333.
