CBS Los Angeles reports 38-year-old Melody Lippert and 30-year-old Michelle Ghirelli, both teachers at South Hills High School in West Covina, were arrested on Friday after Orange County Sheriff’s deputies were alerted to the alleged misconduct.
According to police, Lippert and Ghirelli met up with a group of male South Hills students at San Clemente State Beach in November 2014 for an unauthorized beach party. Investigators claim Lippert supplied alcohol to the underage boys and had sex with one of them.
Police say the two teachers made arrangements for an unauthorized camping trip at the same beach several weeks later. This time, they camped overnight with several of the same students. Both teachers are accused of having sex with multiple boys during the party.
Police said one of the alleged victims is 18, while the other is underage. The Covina Valley Unified School District has informed parents about the alleged incidents.
“We have to take these allegations very seriously, and as soon as we heard about this, we contacted the West Covina Police Department and began working with their detectives immediately,”CVUSD spokesperson Michelle Van Der Linden said.
Both Lippert and Ghirelli are married with families. Lippert was booked into Orange County Jail on $20,000 bail. Ghirelli’s bail was set at $50,000. Lippert was arrested for conspiracy and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, while Ghirelli was arrested for oral copulation and unlawful sex with a minor.
KABC reports the women are scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday.
The Los Angeles Times reports the teachers’ arrests come less than two weeks after West Covina police arrested a part-time wrestling coach at South Hills High School for allegedly having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student.
