Prosecutors filed additional charges on Monday against two female teachers who took their male high school students on a camping trip to a San Clemente beach. During the trip the two women allegedly gave the students alcohol and cocaine and had sex with them.
Melody Suzanne Lippert, 38, and Michelle Louise Ghirelli, 30, had already been charged with one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor – but are now facing new charges filed on Monday. They were each charged with a felony count of unlawful sexual intercourse and another felony count of giving a controlled substance to a minor. Ghirelli was also charged with a felony count of oral copulation of a minor.
The two women were teachers at Covina-Valley Unified School District when the camping trip took place from Dec. 27, 2014, and Dec. 29, 2014. Lippert was accused by prosecutors of organizing the unapproved “school” trip to San Clemente Beach by sending out a group text message inviting co-defendant Ghirelli and five male high school students.
Deputy Dist. Atty. Kristin Bracic told The LA Times in February that the sex between Ghirelli and the underage boy was not in dispute, but Ghirelli thought that he was 18-years-old.
The school district placed Lippert and Ghirelli on paid administrative leave in January, but both resigned last week. Ghirelli faces up to 11 years, eight months in state prison, and Lippert faces up to 10 years and six months if convicted of all charges.
