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'I thought I was being nice and helpful': Girl, 10, describes being 'fed semen-laced vanilla cookies by teacher' at scandal-hit school
Girl's allegations against Miramonte Elementary School in Los Angeles
Says already-accused Mark Berndt fed her vanilla cookies in classroom
School to reopen today with completely new set of staff after scandal
District facing $5.7m bill to replace staff and still pay former teachers
A 10-year-old girl who attends the sex scandal-hit Los Angeles school has revealed how a teacher allegedly fed her semen-laced vanilla cookies with white frosting and sprinkles almost every day.
Mark Berndt, 61, allegedly committed lewd acts on 23 children aged six to ten in a five-year period - with police finding around 600 photos, some of which show blindfolded pupils being fed his semen.
The pupil at Miramonte Elementary School in Los Angeles, California, told KTLA that Berndt would ask a female teacher to send her to his adjoining classroom, where he would give her the cookies.
'Mr Berndt, he called my teacher and said if he could borrow some students,' the pupil told the TV station. 'I went there, and he gave me a cookie. The teacher said: "Why is she getting the cookie?"
'He said: "Because she's been helping a lot",' she told KTLA. 'I thought that he was just giving me the cookie because I was nice and that I helped. He would take (pictures) with his cell phone.'
The shocking interview about the third-grade teacher accused of feeding children his semen during bizarre 'tasting games' came as an entirely new staff of teachers are expected to greet students.
'I try not to cry a lot in front of her because she's very strong, so I try to be strong too but it breaks my heart,' the girl's mother told KTLA. Neither the girl nor her mother have been identified.
Amid outrage from parents, school district officials closed Miramonte for two days to completely turn over the 120-member staff, from janitors to principal, and it is due to re-open on Thursday.
'It's the most severe action I've seen taken by a school district,' anti-child sex abuse campaigner Terri Miller, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, told the New York Daily News.
The new staff comprises a retired principal, 88 teachers and support staff who were recently laid off and were on a rehiring list, and the reopening follows further revelations on Wednesday.
Police recovered 200 more inappropriate photos of children and allegedly found Berndt sent warmly written birthday cards and presents to students who participated in his 'games'.
According to three lawsuits filed against the district on Tuesday, third-grade teacher Berndt sent birthday cards to some of the girls, asking how they were adjusting to the fourth grade.
He also wrote warm notes such as 'surely no teacher could ever have a more wonderful student than you!!' and 'P.P.S. The Roaches Say 'Hi!'' He signed the notes: 'Mr. B.'
The lawsuits allege the school failed to adequately safeguard them against Berndt and a second teacher, Martin Springer, who faces lewdness charges over the fondling of a second-grader.
Berndt gave one girl a CD dated February 12, 2010, writing on it, 'Happy 9th B-Day - Hope You Enjoy the Songs!' that included such tracks as 'Never on Sunday' and 'Gonna Get Along Without You'.
Sheriff's investigators said they have found 200 additional photos they believe were taken by Berndt, who is accused of committing lewd acts on 23 children from 2005 to 2010.
The photos were found last week at the same pharmacy where a photo lab technician first noticed odd pictures that led to Berndt's arrest. The discovery brings the total photos to roughly 600.
Many of the photos involve children already identified by authorities, but there may be other victims, Sheriff's Lieutenant Carlos Marquez said.
Like the other pictures, the photos show children ages 6 to 10 blindfolded and being fed a milky, white liquid that authorities believe was semen on spoons or cookies, Lieutenant Marquez said.
Berndt taught for 32 years at the school, remains jailed on $23million bail and faces life in prison if convicted. The furore over his arrest led two parents to come forward last week to complain.
They said Springer, 49, who had worked at the school for 26 years, fondled two second-grade girls. He pleaded not guilty after he was charged with committing three lewd acts upon one girl in 2009.
Bail was set at $300,000. Detectives said there is no evidence that the two men acted in concert.
Girl, 10, describes being fed 'semen-laced cookies' by Mark Berndt at Miramonte School | Mail Online
Girl's allegations against Miramonte Elementary School in Los Angeles
Says already-accused Mark Berndt fed her vanilla cookies in classroom
School to reopen today with completely new set of staff after scandal
District facing $5.7m bill to replace staff and still pay former teachers
A 10-year-old girl who attends the sex scandal-hit Los Angeles school has revealed how a teacher allegedly fed her semen-laced vanilla cookies with white frosting and sprinkles almost every day.
Mark Berndt, 61, allegedly committed lewd acts on 23 children aged six to ten in a five-year period - with police finding around 600 photos, some of which show blindfolded pupils being fed his semen.
The pupil at Miramonte Elementary School in Los Angeles, California, told KTLA that Berndt would ask a female teacher to send her to his adjoining classroom, where he would give her the cookies.
'Mr Berndt, he called my teacher and said if he could borrow some students,' the pupil told the TV station. 'I went there, and he gave me a cookie. The teacher said: "Why is she getting the cookie?"
'He said: "Because she's been helping a lot",' she told KTLA. 'I thought that he was just giving me the cookie because I was nice and that I helped. He would take (pictures) with his cell phone.'
The shocking interview about the third-grade teacher accused of feeding children his semen during bizarre 'tasting games' came as an entirely new staff of teachers are expected to greet students.
'I try not to cry a lot in front of her because she's very strong, so I try to be strong too but it breaks my heart,' the girl's mother told KTLA. Neither the girl nor her mother have been identified.
Amid outrage from parents, school district officials closed Miramonte for two days to completely turn over the 120-member staff, from janitors to principal, and it is due to re-open on Thursday.
'It's the most severe action I've seen taken by a school district,' anti-child sex abuse campaigner Terri Miller, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, told the New York Daily News.
The new staff comprises a retired principal, 88 teachers and support staff who were recently laid off and were on a rehiring list, and the reopening follows further revelations on Wednesday.
Police recovered 200 more inappropriate photos of children and allegedly found Berndt sent warmly written birthday cards and presents to students who participated in his 'games'.
According to three lawsuits filed against the district on Tuesday, third-grade teacher Berndt sent birthday cards to some of the girls, asking how they were adjusting to the fourth grade.
He also wrote warm notes such as 'surely no teacher could ever have a more wonderful student than you!!' and 'P.P.S. The Roaches Say 'Hi!'' He signed the notes: 'Mr. B.'
The lawsuits allege the school failed to adequately safeguard them against Berndt and a second teacher, Martin Springer, who faces lewdness charges over the fondling of a second-grader.
Berndt gave one girl a CD dated February 12, 2010, writing on it, 'Happy 9th B-Day - Hope You Enjoy the Songs!' that included such tracks as 'Never on Sunday' and 'Gonna Get Along Without You'.
Sheriff's investigators said they have found 200 additional photos they believe were taken by Berndt, who is accused of committing lewd acts on 23 children from 2005 to 2010.
The photos were found last week at the same pharmacy where a photo lab technician first noticed odd pictures that led to Berndt's arrest. The discovery brings the total photos to roughly 600.
Many of the photos involve children already identified by authorities, but there may be other victims, Sheriff's Lieutenant Carlos Marquez said.
Like the other pictures, the photos show children ages 6 to 10 blindfolded and being fed a milky, white liquid that authorities believe was semen on spoons or cookies, Lieutenant Marquez said.
Berndt taught for 32 years at the school, remains jailed on $23million bail and faces life in prison if convicted. The furore over his arrest led two parents to come forward last week to complain.
They said Springer, 49, who had worked at the school for 26 years, fondled two second-grade girls. He pleaded not guilty after he was charged with committing three lewd acts upon one girl in 2009.
Bail was set at $300,000. Detectives said there is no evidence that the two men acted in concert.
Girl, 10, describes being fed 'semen-laced cookies' by Mark Berndt at Miramonte School | Mail Online
