Kelly McKenzy Watson, 34, was also placed on three years felony probation, during which she is not allowed to work with minors, and was ordered to undergo counseling.
Judge Laura Halgren said Watson — who is due April 5 — did not have to register as a sex offender.
Attorneys said the unborn child’s father — who turns 18 in April — is in love with Watson and plans to be part of the child’s life despite a no-contact order put in place by the judge. Halgren said the victim could be present for the birth.
The defendant pleaded guilty in November to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. According to a psychological evaluation, Watson is not sexually promiscuous but was naive and immature when she got involved with the then-16-year-old boy.
Halgren said the relationship between defendant and victim “was not an ideal parenting situation,” but said Watson was not a danger to re-offend. The judge said Watson “violated the public’s trust” when she had sex with a former student.
Watson, who was arrested last Aug. 9, met the boy when he was a student in her class at the New Haven residential school in Vista, said Lt. Anastasia Smith of the San Diego Police Department.
The lieutenant said Watson was the boy’s teacher at New Haven for several semesters from September 2010 until August 2011. New Haven works with troubled and at-risk teens.
San Diego police sex crimes detectives received a tip last July 30 about inappropriate conduct between Watson and the former student and later determined she had a dating relationship with him several months earlier, Smith said.
Deputy District Attorney Mary-Ellen Barrett said the victim was released from the residential facility in January 2012 and he and Watson were together two weeks later.
Watson had been a special-education teacher for seven years and hopes to work in adult education someday, according to defense attorney David R. Cohn.
He said Watson has been living with family members in Bakersfield and working in accounting.
8 Comments to “Teacher pregnant with student’s baby sentenced”
February 6, 2013 at 7:49 PM
The victim will be sentenced to eighteen years of child support payments/wage garnishment.
February 7, 2013 at 8:14 AM
this was my teacher
February 7, 2013 at 8:35 AM
interesting sentence but the father has a right to see his child, and now he also has to pay child support and is a child himself?
February 7, 2013 at 9:31 AM
I think it's interesting that she is basically walking away scott free, she doesn't have to register as a Sex offender and she basically isn't doing any Jail time, but i bet if this was a Teen girl and the Teacher
was a Man,He would be going to Prison for Sure
February 27, 2013 at 9:41 AM
Why Are You Capitalizing Certain Words And Not Others? Just curious
February 7, 2013 at 10:21 AM
The fact that she does not have to register is total bull. If she were a male they would be thowing the book at her. "Watson is not sexually promiscuous but was naive and immature when she got involved with the then-16-year-old boy." – maybe she is the one who belongs in SPECIAL ED. How the hell do you cite that she was naive at 34 years old. Did she just crawl out of the Ozarks?
March 14, 2013 at 8:44 AM
So much for equality for women. Give her 20 years like you would a man.