Woman Who Claimed She Was Molested By Teacher In Viral YouTube Video Speaks To CBS2
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A woman who confronted a former teacher with sex abuse allegations and posted a video of their exchange on YouTube is speaking out about the ordeal.
Jamie Carrillo worked up the courage to call Andrea Cardosa and ask her why she subjected her to years of sexual abuse when Jamie was a student at Chemawa Middle School in Riverside County in 1999.
Cardosa, who was working as an assistant principal at Alhambra High School when the video went viral in January, quit. Then another alleged victim came forward, and within days, Cardosa was arrested.
But Jamie tells CBS2's Tom Wait she had no idea how her actions would affect other victims.
"I wanted people in that district to know this is what's in their school district," she said.
To Jamie's surprise, e-mails and messages of support and inspiration came streaming in.
"A lot of them have come out and said, 'You've given me the courage to come out and press charges against my perpetrator.' It's crazy I wouldn't think something that I did would have given someone else courage," she said.
Jamie's attorney, David Ring, of law firm Taylor and Ring, says his client would not have been a victim if her former school district investigated Cardosa at the time when she was a teacher at Chemawa.
"We've learned that there were multiple complaints about her relationships with girls," Ring said.
Jaime is now suing the Riverside Unified School District, saying it missed the warning signs. The district refused to comment on CBS2's story, citing pending litigation.
In the meantime, Jamie says that while she still struggles with the alleged abuse, the outpouring of support is comforting.
"It's just a constant roller coaster of ups and downs. I have my good days and I have my bad days," she said. "...Students who went to school with me tell me, you know, 'I'm so sorry, I knew something was going on and I should have said something.'"
Jamie says her three young children have a sense of what is going on – and they remind her she did the right thing.
"Somebody did something bad to mom and mom put her in jail – and he says, 'You did good mom, you did good,'" she said.
Cardosa's case is ongoing.
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