Trinidad private school teacher accused of abusing students
TRINIDAD, Colo. (KRDO) -- A Catholic High School teacher in Trinidad is facing harassment and child abuse charges after students told police she would strike them with various objects.
Andrea Jimenez, a 63-year-old teacher at Holy Trinity Academy in Trinidad, is due in court for her first appearance on Jan. 5th after she was issued a summons last month.
On Oct. 31, Trinidad Police began their investigation into possible harassment involving a teacher at Holy Trinity Academy School, a Catholic private school that teaches students from Kindergarten through the 12th grade. Multiple students and parents pointed to Jimenez as the primary concern.
According to one of the student’s statements to investigators, Jimenez got extremely close to her face and body after getting upset over finding laptop charging cables on the ground.
Jimenez began smacking them in the face and on her body with the charging chord according to the student’s statements to investigators.
The police incident report says the smacking with the chords did not leave marks on the student's body.
When asked about previous incidents involving Holy Trinity Academy students, the anonymous student told investigators that Jimenez has “thrown people down the stairs” in the past.
A second student was interviewed by Trinidad Police. According to the police report, the student said Jimenez “hits me with a book” on the forearm in order to get him to pay attention. The anonymous student says Jimenez is mean to other students, but does not hit them with books.
"I don't think this was the first time she has behaved towards students. I think she has been doing this for a long time," Ashleigh King, a former part-time teacher and Holy Trinity Academy parent told 13 Investigates. After hearing about the incident with the laptop charger, King and her husband notified Trinidad Police.
"(Jimenez) thought it was okay to treat my child that way even knowing me," King said. "And knowing that I would not be okay with that. It infuriated me even more."
When Trinidad Police asked Holy Trinity Academy’s Principal if there have been previous complaints pertaining to Jimenez being abusive to students in the past, the principal responded by stating “not to this nature, I mean yes does she raise her voice when she shouldn’t, yes.”
When Trinidad Police requested her disciplinary records in her personnel file the principal said she was not aware of those, and that Jimenez does the filing herself.
Jimenez declined to speak with Trinidad Police about the allegations and directed them to her attorney.
However, following their initial interview with police, one of the students was expelled from Holy Trinity Academy according to the police report. King said her daughter was expelled for truancy or too many absences from school. However, King feels it was retaliation for notifying authorities.
13 Investigates reached out to Jimenez for comment, but we are still waiting on a response.
Holy Trinity Academy tells 13 Investigates Jimenez is still employed with the school, however, she is not allowed inside the school. Jimenez will continue to assist in the business side of the school, but will not teach.
