Pasadena ISD teacher aide allegedly sexually assaulted 13-year-old with special needs, mother says

PASADENA, Texas (KTRK) -- The mother of a 13-year-old with special needs is speaking out after a former Pasadena ISD teacher's aide was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault.

Vanessa Aguilar, who was a teacher's aide at Queens Intermediate, is currently being held on a $500,000 bond. Court documents reveal disturbing allegations, claiming Aguilar took the boy, a student in the school's special needs program, to an empty classroom on at least four separate occasions to perform sexual acts on the child.

The boy's mother spoke to ABC13 on Friday afternoon under anonymity in order to protect her son's identity.

"I'm angry, still in shock, and still trying to process everything," the mother said. "He did understand what was going on was wrong, and he told me," adding that her son told her he felt "dirty" and didn't want to go to school.

The student reportedly told officials during an interview that the alleged assaults would happen when Aguilar would take him into another room, designated as a break room, according to court records.

Besides the alleged sexual assaults, Aguilar also allegedly wrote a letter to the boy.

"He had a letter she had written with very graphic things, which we turned in to the police as well."

Aguilar's family, however, came to her defense. A man who identified himself as Aguilar's fiancé rolled down his car window when approached by ABC13.

"I don't believe any of it," he said. A man who said he was Aguilar's father, sitting in the passenger seat, agreed that his daughter was innocent but would not elaborate.

The 13-year-old has since been moved to a different school. However, the trauma has left the family considering a permanent move out of the school district this summer.

"You're supposed to take care of my kid, not hurt my child while he's in your care. Like they're supposed to protect him and keep him safe. And the one who was supposed to protect and keep him safe was the one causing harm to him," said the mom.

Upon learning of the allegations, Pasadena ISD reported the incident to police, and Aguilar was subsequently fired, according to a district press release.

Aguilar appeared in court on Wednesday, according to court documents. She's due back in court in May.