Teachers Arrested: Two Teachers Arrested For Having Sex With Students
Melody Lippert, 38, and Michelle Ghirelli, 30, were accused of partying with students from West Covina High School at the San Clemente State Beach last November.
According to PEOPLE, Lippert provided alcohol to a group of students before having sex with one of them. Several weeks later, Lippert planned an overnight camping trip at the same beach, invited Ghirelli and several other students.
Both teachers allegedly had sexual relations with two students on the second trip, which was not a school or district-sponsored event, authorities told KTLA.
Lippert was arrested Saturday on suspicion of conspiracy and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to the release. Ghirelli was arrested on suspicion of oral copulation and unlawful sex with a minor. They were both held in Orange County Jail before being released on bail, the Orange County Register reports.
Some of the students were of age and some were not, the local sheriff’s department said.
“Based on the charges the teachers were booked to, you can make that assumption as to which teacher was with students that were of age and were of not,” Lt. Jeff Hallock told KTLA
“But of course, regardless of somebody’s of age or not, it is very serious,” he continued. “We take these very serious when you’re talking about a student-teacher relationship.”
Lippert, 38, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy and contributing to the delinquency of a minor and is being held in lieu of $12,000 bail.
Ghirelli, 30, faces possible charges of oral copulation and unlawful sex with a minor and has a $33,000 bail.
These are the second and third teachers arrested on sex-related charges at South Hills High in less than two weeks. Anthony Vidales, a part-time wrestling coach, was arrested on Jan. 7 for alleged “inappropriate contact” with a 17-year-old, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
