Teacher Gets Hand Slap for Fondling Boy - Updated

(Santa Ana, California) A 44-year-old teacher formerly at Joplin Youth Correctional Center, Dawn Marie Baloun, pleaded guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor stemming from a reported kissy-rubby relationship with a 16-year-old male juvenile.

According to defense attorney Dyke Huish, Baloun never molested the boy.

Orange County Commissioner Richard Pacheco sentenced Baloun to 15 days of community service and ordered her placed on five years of informal probation, Huish said. Baloun must also stay away from the victim, who is 19 years old, Huish said.

It's not clear exactly what restrictions are imposed by informal probation.

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Female Corrections Teacher Accused of Fondling Boy
[Previous 3/25/10 post]
(Santa Ana, California) A 43-year-old teacher at the Joplin Youth Center in Trabuco Canyon, Dawn Marie Baloun, has been accused of kissing and fondling a 16-year-old boy at the facility during secret meetings in classrooms and closets. Baloun faces a charge of misdemeanor child annoyance which carries a potential sentence of one year in jail.

Prosecutors say the intimate relationship happened when Baloun worked at Joplin Youth Center in Trabuco Canyon between March and April 2009.

The youth was housed at the facility, and would meet Baloun in classrooms, an office, and in a closet, prosecutors said. Baloun would kiss and fondle the boy, and make him fondle her, prosecutors said.

Arraignment is scheduled for April 12.