Nevada teacher confesses to child abuse and leaves apology
Taji Hillson, 62, of Reno, was arrested on July 2, one day after she allegedly left an apology letter in a victim's mailbox.
Her arrest came months after a female adult relative filed a police report on April 30 alleging that she had been sexually abused by Hillson as a child and as an adult.
Even after the relative submitted four additional police reports with further evidence, Hillson still continued her work as a substitute physical education teacher at Roy Gomm Elementary School through the end of the term on June 13.
Police do not believe that Hillson's abuse victims were also students of hers.
Nearly two weeks later, Reno Police interviewed Hillson about the allegations, and she allegedly admitted to abusing dozens of children, mainly relatives in North Carolina, and touching a two-year-old inappropriately at a pool in the last two years.
She told police she committed 'all of the actions as she never felt seen and desired to be close to another person,' the arrest report said, according to The Reno Gazette Journal.
The adult victim lived next door to her and is financially dependent on Hillson, court documents obtained by 2 News Nevada, said.
She allegedly started abusing the adult victim 20 years ago, and she only found out about it after Hillson left her an apology letter in her mailbox.
'The defendant admitted to giving her Benadryl to sedate her by sneaking it in her food,' the police report said.
'The Defendant described doing this throughout the victim's childhood but more frequently from age 6-12 as her husband worked night shifts at that time.'
She would give the victim up to three times the recommended dose of Benadryl, an allergy medication, to 'control' her. While the woman was asleep, the mother-of-two would touch her inappropriately.
She also allegedly admitted to police that she drugged and touched the victim as an adult too.
The female victim had shown police text messages and the letter where Hillson allegedly admitted to her crimes on July 1.
Hillson was booked into the Washoe County Jail on a $5million bail with no 10 per cent cash option, and was charged with sexual assault against a child under the age of 14, sexual assault, and three counts of lewdness with a child under the age of 14.
'The allegations in this case are deeply disturbing, and are currently involving two victims, one of whom is a toddler. I commend the extraordinary courage of the adult victim who came forward to report this abuse,' District Attorney Chris Hicks said in a statement.
'A brave act that has allowed us to seek justice and protect others from harm.'
Hillson is not to have contact with the victim and if she bails out, she will have to wear GPS monitoring.
Washoe County Jail does not currently list Hillson on its roster.
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