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"Love Letters" And 200 New Photos; Newest Revelations In Miramonte Scandal

Dan Watson |
February 8, 2012 | 2:38 p.m. PST

Editor-in-Chief

(Photo by Paige Brettingen)
(Photo by Paige Brettingen)

New revelations continued to pile up in the Miramonte Elementary School scandal Wednesday as detectives discovered 200 new photos taken by former teacher Mark Berndt, accused of lewd acts against students.

The photos were reportedly discovered last week from a CVS pharmacy in South Bay after a search of the computer systems. It was the same CVS that had previously yielded the original 40 harrowing photos that led to the investigation in 2010. Berndt currently faces 23 charges of lewd acts with children.

According to the LA Times, there were "some new children's faces in the batch of photos," beyond the children already identified in the previous 400.

In addition, Annenberg TV News reports that it has discovered three "love letters" that a former teacher's aide sent to a fourth grade boy at the school.

According to ATVN:

"The boy’s mother has come forward with three letters that the aide, approximated to be in her 50s, sent to her son in 2009. One letter read, 'When you get close to me, even if you give me the chills I like that. Don’t tell nobody about this!'

"The former teacher’s aide has acknowledged authorship the letters, but retains that she felt only a grandmotherly affection for the boy."

The Times also reported that no further arrests were planed of Miramonte teachers, according to the LA County sheriff's department. The investigation, however, continues.

According to the Times:

"An attorney representing the family of one of the alleged child victims has suggested that a third teacher might be involved in the case.

"But Scott said that teacher is not a suspect. Detectives have interviewed that teacher and said they have no plans to arrest her."

The second teacher to be charged with committing lewd acts at the same school, Martin Springer, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, one of the two girls who accused Springer, 49, of fondling her recanted her story, according to the LA Times.

According to the Times:

"The charges filed Tuesday only involve one girl. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing, said one of two two alleged victims had changed her story in the last few days."



 

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