Elizabeth Miklosovic
.
Posted on 12/03/2004 5:24:57 PM PST by mark502inf
SOUTH HAVEN -- The teacher accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old former student had developed such a trusting relationship that the two "married" in a pagan ritual, state police said Thursday.
"They also participated in witchcraft together," Detective Sgt. Dianne Oppenheim said.
Elizabeth Miklosovic, 36, of Grand Rapids, a teacher at South Haven's Baseline Middle School, was arraigned Thursday in South Haven District Court, charged with first-degree criminal-sexual conduct, a potential life offense.
She was held on a $100,000 bond.
Also on Thursday, the Kent County Prosecutor's office issued warrants on first- and second-degree criminal sexual conduct charges, alleging Miklosovic and the teenage girl were involved in illegal sex acts at the teacher's Northeast Grand Rapids home, Prosecutor William Forsyth said.
The girl's family is outraged, saying Miklosovic "brainwashed" the girl into thinking the two did nothing wrong. The girl's family initially believed that Miklosovic's interest in the girl -- who is described as vulnerable, with emotional problems -- was to help her.
"It's heartbreaking to know (you put) your trust, your faith in a teacher, and this is how it goes," the girl's uncle said. "(The girl) doesn't think a crime's been committed. She's plainly been brainwashed by her teacher."
Miklosovic, a seventh-grade language-arts teacher, was put on leave from her job.
The girl, a former student of Miklosovic's, told police about five sexual encounters from June to October in places including the teacher's home, a park in Van Buren County and a state park in Manistee County, authorities said.
The girl told a classmate about the relationship, and the classmate told school officials.
Miklosovic lives in the Heritage Hill neighborhood with another woman and their adopted son, authorities said. Her longtime partner was trying to shelter the boy in light of the allegations, which have drawn headlines in recent days.
A neighbor said the teacher has a "nontraditional family," and that she is a good neighbor.
"I hope she gets judged for what she's done, and not for who she is," said the neighbor, who asked not to be named.
In South Haven, residents were upset.
"If you can't trust your kid's teacher, who can you trust?" asked Monica Thompson, 24, who has a 2-year-old daughter. She lives down the street from Baseline Middle School, where Miklosovic taught.
"It appalled me. I heard about it on the news last night. A kid and a grown woman?"
Mallory Spencer, 19, who graduated from South Haven High School last year, said: "It's getting kind of scary now. I have a lot of friends who teach there. ... I'm kind of numb. You hear about so much these days, nothing surprises me."
Richard Chapman, 31, said his friend has a son in Miklosovic's class, and has only good things to say about her.
"He didn't believe it, that she would do anything like that," he said.
Oppenheim, the state police sergeant, said the alleged victim "would have been easily persuaded by anybody."
"It just so happened the teacher was the one that reached out to her," Oppenheim said. "The victim is a good kid, she really is. It's really sad. You trust your kids with the teacher. Something like this happens, and it kind of puts you at arm's length."
Police found no evidence other students were involved. Miklosovic has worked for the district three years, and was highly regarded by staff and students. She has no previous criminal record in Michigan, state police records showed.
Some other words come to mind.
See, that's what integrity is, when who you are lines up with how you act. Sheesh.
Liberal "Family Values". Be careful who you trust your children with, especially when they have a track record of perversion.
That she did these things is sickening. That she was a teacher and did these things is unforgivable. I watched her walk into the courtroom yesterday and the haughty attitude was enough to make me switch channels in disgust.
"Like brute beasts, fit only to be destroyed."- John Locke If I remember.
Actually, I think this IS appropriate.
She is KNOWN to be a nice person, but what SHE HAS DONE is perverse.
Hence, "I hope she gets judged for what she's done, and not for who she is,"
Elizabeth Miklosovic
.
Another homosexual pedophile. Imagine that.
I have been avoiding the story altogether because, AFAIC, any teacher (any adult, for that matter) having intimate relations with a fourteen year old is a pedophile/rapist. The whole story is nothing but titillation. How often, after all, do stories of male pedophiles/rapists make the news, excepting the clergy?
Grand Rapids is my damn backyard!
Family members have always insisted that West Michigan was a paragon of conservatism...then I learned that Michael Mooreon was from the area and now this thing.
You are what you do
Are they sure it's not Rosie O'Donnell with dyed hair?
I sure hear a lot about teachers and coaches who are pedophiles. Coincidental? It sure is scary for those with school age children. Who can you trust anymore?
Michael Moore is from the Flint area--east Michigan!
West Michigan is still a heavily Republican and conservative area--Grand Rapids used to be the same, but is now more like the typical American big city with associated ills. Even so, Kent County with Grand Rapids in it, went for Bush by about 60%. Overall, outside of Wayne County (Detroit), Michigan went for Bush by a margin of 178,000. However, in Detroit/Wayne County Kerry's margin was 343,000; enuf to overcome the margin in the rest of the state & swing the electoral votes to Kerry.
Good to know especially about Grand Rapids and Kent County which is where the relatives live. Beautiful area.
"I hope she gets judged for what she's done, and not for who she is," said the neighbor, who asked not to be named.
Don't you just love the EXTREME compMENTALism that goes on defying reality?
WHO she is DICTATED what she DID and WHY she is in trouble.
GEESH!
Are people really this illogical and STUPID?
One word I think of is "pervert."
Heck, I can remember stories of teachers and students when I was in school. But they were always rumors. Now I'm not so sure.
Now, our children aren't even safe in schools. Bad enough we worry about violence. Now we have to worry about teachers as sexual predators feeding on the innocence of kids.
No that one, Debra Lafave, is younger, 24 vs 36 and hetrosexual.
The 'teacher' is a homosexual and a pedophile ... a not so rare phenomenon and growing more familiar with each passing year of the homosexual assault on America's societal taboos.
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