A former substitute teacher for a North Texas school district and her boyfriend have been arrested on felony charges stemming from an investigation into the alleged sexual abuse of a child. However, authorities say the case has no ties to her work at local campuses.
Madison Paige Jones, 30, was taken into custody on December 19 on one count each of aggravated sexual assault of a child and possession of child pornography, plus two counts of indecency with a child involving sexual contact. She was booked into the Ellis County Jail with a bond set at $90,000.
Zackery Dondlinger, 37, of Happy, Texas, was arrested four days later in Loving County and charged with sexual performance by a child. He remains held at the Winkler County Detention Center awaiting arraignment. Police said the pair were in a dating relationship but released no mugshot of Dondlinger or further details about the alleged offenses.
The probe began on December 17 when Midlothian police responded to a report of possible sexual assault involving a child. Detectives from the department’s Criminal Investigation Division identified Dondlinger during follow-up work.
Jones had subbed four times for Midlothian Independent School District in the past 12 months: once at Heritage High School on November 19 and three days at Baxter Elementary School on October 28, October 29, and November 3. The district sent a letter to parents at those schools about the arrests.
“Our district process for monitoring employee criminal history functioned as intended, and we were notified quickly by the DPS,” Midlothian ISD said in a statement, CBS News Texas reported. “The substitute teacher is no longer employed by MISD, and the district followed its required reporting procedures with the Texas Education Agency.”
Police and district officials stressed that no evidence links the charges to Jones’ role as a substitute or any incidents at district facilities or activities involving their students.
Authorities credited assistance from the Ellis County Children’s Advocacy Center, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Office of the Attorney General’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit, and the Loving County Sheriff’s Office.
The case remains under investigation. Tips can be directed to Midlothian Police Detective Dawson Frazer at 469-672-0056 or the department at 972-775-3333.
