A Peoria martial arts teacher is facing several sexual abuse charges after allegedly having a sexual relationship with one of her students.
According to court documents, Elsa Christina Flores, 22, was arrested on May 4 after the parents of the teenage boy discovered romantic messages on their son's phone.
Flores Exchanged Messages Over Snapchat, Her Contact was Saved as 'My Baby'
Flores, a teacher at the Millennium Martial Arts, would reportedly have the victim, stay back after class. Court paperwork obtained by Arizona's Family, says that the student would frequently get rides from Flores. On one occasion, the boy's parents had tracked him to a Safeway, but he didn't want to talk about why he was there.
As per the court documents, the parents found that Flores had been messaging the boy over Snapchat with her contact name saved as "My baby." Investigators also noted that they saw a conversation where they called each other "babe" and "I love you," but the teen quickly locked his phone and refused to provide his password.
A parent tried to talk to Flores, who said she wanted to speak in person, was "ashamed," and would no longer speak to that boy, court paperwork said. Parents later provided that phone to Peoria police as part of the investigation.
Flores and the Boy Allegedly Had Sex in Her Car at a Park
Detectives also interviewed the owner of the Karate Studio, who asked Flores about the allegations after the parents told the studio. She admitted to the relationship with the owner and said that if "anyone finds out, I am going to prison."
The teen's sister told detectives that the boy and Flores had started messaging each other in December and soon after, the martial arts instructor told him she had "romantic feelings" for him.
Court documents say that after a belt test, Flores had asked the teen if he would be her "Quince" — short for quinceanera — partner. In one instance, Flores and the teen went to dinner and TJ Maxx, which the boy described as a "date."
In January, the victim and Flores reportedly started their sexual relationship. Court paperwork alleges that Flores had sent explicit photos to the victim, but he only sent her pictures of his abdomen. Detectives also helped set up a recording with a parent where Flores said they had had sex in her car at a park and that Flores had to take the "morning after pill."
Victim's Mother: 'Our Family Has Been Turned Upside Down'
The victim's mother told Arizona Family that her family is in shock. "It has been absolutely horrific. Disturbing. Our family has been turned upside down," she said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
"He was exceeding, he was doing well, all that has been taken from him, we obviously pulled him from there," she added. "You put them in activities and sports as a safe place, to keep them out of trouble, to keep them safe, and when it happens in a place where that's where you think you're sending them it's alarming. It's very alarming."
Flores was booked into jail on six counts of sexual conduct with a minor, one count of molestation of a child, and one count of aggravated luring of a minor.
