Teacher accused of sex with boy, 10
Police say she also kidnapped him from home
Tacoma News Tribune
Published: Wednesday, August 15, 2007

TACOMA, Wash. -- A former Tacoma elementary school teacher investigated four months ago for inappropriately socializing with students has been charged with kidnapping a 10-year-old Tacoma boy to have sex with him.

Jennifer Leigh Rice, 31, told police she had sex with the boy at a highway rest stop outside Ellensburg over the weekend and had engaged in sex with him four or five times before then, according to court documents.

One sexual incident occurred in the boy's bedroom Aug. 2, according to the documents.

The boy was Rice's student at McKinley Elementary, where she worked until April. Her contract was not renewed after the Tacoma School District investigated her for socializing inappropriately with students.

Rice has been charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping with sexual motivation. Shackled and wearing an orange jail uniform, she began to cry as she was led into court and spotted a TV news camera.

Rice whispered to her lawyer but said nothing publicly during her brief appearance. She pleaded not guilty.

Pierce County deputy prosecutor Mary Robnett told Superior Court Judge Katherine Stolz that she will likely try to have Rice's alleged behaviour classified as predatory, which would carry a mandatory minimum jail sentence of 25 years.

Stolz ordered Rice jailed in lieu of $500,000 bail and banned her from contact with anyone under age 18, should she make bail.

© The Vancouver Province 2007