Conroe ISD teacher due for prison after she's accused of drugging, sexually abusing student
CONROE, Texas (KTRK) -- A former Oak Ridge High School science teacher is convicted after being accused of grooming a student to have an inappropriate sexual relationship with her, records show.
Bonnie Rose Guess-Mazock, 36, pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a child on July 13 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Oct. 3, according to court documents.
The victim's family discovered the inappropriate student-teacher relationship after he overdosed on prescription drugs, a civil lawsuit filed back on Feb. 24 against Conroe ISD states.
Guess-Mazock was placed on administrative leave after being arrested and charged with indecency with a child on Jan. 25, according to Conroe Independent School District.
She posted a $100,000 bond and was out of jail, records show.
The victim's family filed the lawsuit, additionally accusing Snapchat of failing to monitor for predators, which they believe allowed Guess-Mazock to groom the high school student for what police reports say was an inappropriate sexual relationship.
According to the lawsuit, Guess-Mazock arranged private, off-campus meetings with the teenager, sent "seductive photos" of herself, and solicitous messages using Snapchat.
The lawsuit alleges she encouraged the teen to take prescription drugs, which she provided along with money, before their encounters.
The lawsuit further states that Snapchat's design allows sexual predators to target underage children.
The family accuses the social media platform of monitoring content for its own financial gain but not for the protection of its users.
In addition to Snapchat, the victim's family is accusing Conroe ISD of failing to properly screen its employees and failing to train staff to recognize the signs of inappropriate activity between teachers and students.
The school district does not have any policies addressing social media communications between students and teachers, the lawsuit claims.
"This boy's school was his safe haven," the family's attorney Derek Merman said. "He trusted his teachers and the staff around him. All of the parties failed him and must be held accountable."
The lawsuit notes a history of incidents in which Conroe ISD employees have been accused of inappropriate activity with students.
"When you send your children to school, you want to make sure they are not bullied," co-counsel attorney Andrea Kolski said. "You want to make sure they are educated. You want to make sure they are happy. And, of course, you want to protect them from their worst nightmare."
Conroe ISD didn't comment on the lawsuit, citing pending litigation.
"I want to assure you that Oak Ridge High School and Conroe ISD are committed to providing a safe learning environment for your children," Oak Ridge Principal AJ LiVecchi wrote in a statement.
SEE ORIGINAL REPORT: Conroe ISD science teacher accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student
