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Taylor Welch identified as arrested Hutchinson Middle School substitute teacher on felony lewd act on a child charge

By Brian Hews

Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau have arrested Taylor Welch, a 22 year old resident of La Mirada for possible felony lewd act on a minor child.

In a statement to the media this afternoon from LASD officials, detectives began the investigation on April 24, when notified by school officials about possible inappropriate contact between the teacher and the student. Sheriff’s investigators immediately began their investigation, which led to the suspect being relieved from his teaching duties by the school.

Investigators have learned that the suspect, Welch, a substitute teacher since September 2011, has only taught at Hutchinson Middle School in La Mirada. He met the 13-year old female victim in his classroom.
He allegedly later found the other on Facebook in December, 2011. A friendship developed, allegedly leading to the unlawful exchange of sexually graphic photographs, live video feed and sexting messages between Welch and the child. Inappropriate personal contact also occurred in the classroom after class, said law enforcement.

Welch was arrested Tuesday morning for felony Lewd Acts Upon a Child, 288(a) P.C. and Distributing Obscene Material to a Minor, 288.2 P.C. and is being held on $140,000.00 bail.

Authorities were made aware of the situation when the victim showed photographs of the suspect, which were stored on her cell phone, to a friend. This led to a parent reporting the matter to school authorities who notified the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Dr. Ruth Perez, Superintendent of Schools for the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District told Los Cerritos Community Newspaper and the la Mirada Lamplighter that Welch has not worked at any other schools in the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District in the past.

“We are in full cooperation with law enforcement officials as they continue their investigation,” Perez said this morning.

“Because this is under investigation, we can provide no further comment at this time,” she said.

Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau detectives believe it is possible there are additional victims and urge anyone who may have been a victim to contact investigators. If you have any information concerning the suspect please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau at 1-877-710-5273 (LASD) or [email protected] (Habalamos Espanol). Or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org

  • Anon says:

    omfg, Mr. Welch, you idiot. You were such a good teacher had such potential but now I am particualarly scared at the fact that I had you as a teacher…

  • Maria says:

    OMG! my daughter had this guy as a substitute teacher and when I met him I couldn’t believe he was teaching because he looked like a middle school teacher. Wow who can we trust? Very scary!
    Can’t believe this hit so close to home.

  • Maria says:

    oops i meant he looked like a middle school student. Still in shock about the whole thing.:(

  • Don’t do illegal things with the students. What a sicko…

  • lover says:

    i love you mr.welch!!!!!!!!!!!<3

  • Jailene says:

    omg how dume r u mr.welch u were the best teacher ever wat happen…….. 🙁

  • Melissa says:

    Wow he was so nice to everyone

  • Anonymous says:

    Well, I have to say this was definitely unexpected. Mr. Welch was loved by the whole school, we all thought he was awesome and this is a shocker. I think he’s not the kind of person who would do this, he was soo nice to everyone. I, again, can’t believe this happened especially since he’s a very nice sub (I’ve had him a lot as a sub) and would never do this.

  • Daniel Rowe says:

    A felony lewd act on a minor is a reprehensible crime. As always I urge the public to let our Justice System run its course and allow Mr. Welch to be found GUILTY or NOT GUILTY by a jury of his peers. Any crime against a minor should be punished severely. Nevertheless, we live in a nation where each and every citizen is innocent until proven guilty. We must protect our children from predators and pedophiles yet we must also protect the rights of the accused. It’s a careful balance our nation has been wrestling with since the birth of our nation. Have faith that the American Justice is the best in the world. Justice will be done.

  • Jailene says:

    u now wat forget wat he did we still love him…. as a freind

  • Penny says:

    Luke 12:2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.

  • anonymous says:

    Maybe someone should look into these little girls leaving comments saying they <3 this teacher. He obviously a freak and deserves to be punished!!!!!!!!!!

  • Dont Matter says:

    IM NOT CONDONING WHAT HE DID, BUT, YOU ARE FORGETTING THE GIRL ALLOWED THIS TO GO ON FOR MONTHS ALSO, IF IT WAS A 1 TIME THING AND REPORTED IT WE WOULD ALL THINK DIFFERENTLY, SHES NOT SO INNOCNET EITHER AND SOMEHOW NEEDS TO BE PUNISHED ALSO

  • unknown says:

    he taught meh friends and even though they know about his acts they still like him, they say he doesn’t deserve to be in jail. HE DOES DESERVE IT, so does the stupid girl that ingaged in a act with him, this girl should be held accountable

  • Get a life says:

    GET A LIFE!!!!! You are all so stupid get over it it was both of them !! He’s a pervert and she’s a desperate HOE!!!!!!!

  • big daddy says:

    fuckin mr welch needs to get life in prison n be sum1s b×××h fuck him

  • big daddy says:

    fuck tw hope he gets life n is sum1s b×××× pussy welch fuck u

  • not mr. welch says:

    i personally think hes innocent and deserves to be free and charges dropped