A school system in Southern California has resolved a lawsuit involving a teacher who became pregnant by one of at least two students she was accused of sexually abusing for $2.25 million.
According to the Southern California News Group, the settlement brings the total amount paid by the Redlands Unified School District to victims of Laura Whitehurst since her arrest in 2013 to $8.25 million.
In August 2016, the district reached a $6 million settlement with the ex-student who gave birth to Whitehust.
According to Morgan Stewart, the plaintiff’s attorney, a new action was brought in 2021 by a former student who claimed Whitehurst sexually abused him in 2007 and 2008 when he was 14 years old and a student at Redlands High School. According to the police inquiry, Whitehurst admitted to having 10-15 sexual encounters with juveniles in her classroom and apartment in 2013.
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Christine Stephens, a spokeswoman for Redlands Unified, said on Friday that the district was aware of the settlement but was unable to comment due to confidentiality rules.
The father of Whitehurst’s child filed the second complaint, alleging that school authorities were aware of his relationship with Whitehurst but did nothing to safeguard his family.
Whitehurst gave birth in 2014 after having sexual intercourse with the child for a year starting when he was 16 years old.
Whitehurst admitted to having illegal intercourse with three former students while teaching English and coaching soccer. She was a sex offender who earned a six-month jail term.
