Redlands Teacher Accused of 41 Sex Felonies with Former Students Has Hearing Friday

A Redlands high school teacher who pleaded not guilty earlier this month to 41 sex felonies in connection with alleged relations she had with three former students, including one she conceived a baby with, has a hearing Friday July 26 in San Bernardino.

Laura Elizabeth Whitehurst, 28, has been held at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga since her arrest July 8, when prosecutors filed charges against her.

Her alleged victims were boys ages 14 to 17 when she is accused of having sex with them, according to court records. They were students who attended Citrus Valley High and Redlands High.

Her defense attorney, James R. Gass of Redlands, said Thursday there was nothing he cared to discuss about his client's hearing Friday. He previously indicated he would seek a bail reduction.

"She's a clean-cut American girl sitting in jail, so she's having a hard time of it," Gass told reporters in San Bernardino after Whitehurst's video arraignment on July 9.

During the arraignment, Deputy District Attorney Melissa Rodriguez requested a criminal protective order for an alleged victim she identified as John Doe, barring Whitehurst from contacting the recent Citrus Valley graduate she allegedly conceived a baby with.

Neither attorney would discuss the whereabouts or who had custody of the baby, who was born June 18 shortly after the boy, now 17, graduated with the Blackhawks Class of 2013.

If convicted as charged, Whitehurst could face up to 29 years in state prison.

The evening of July 9, Redlands Unified School District board president Donna West gave a statement that included the following:

"For the sake of our district, our community, and the families involved, we need for all the facts to be brought to the surface."

To read previous Redlands-Loma Linda Patch coverage of the allegations against Whitehurst, click the following links:

Redlands Unified School Board on Teacher Sex Scandal: 'We Need All Facts Brought to the Surface'

Redlands Teacher Sex Alleged: 'She's a Clean-Cut American Girl' Defense Attorney Says

Alleged Teacher Sex Search Warrant Still a Concern for Redlands Unified School District

REDLANDS TEACHER SEX: Whitehurst Now Accused of 41 Sex Felonies with Former Students

Redlands Unified School District Denies Deliberate Failure to Report Teacher-Student Sex

MORE TEACHER SEX ALLEGED: Former RHS Students Claim Sexual Acts with Laura Whitehurst in Her Car, Classroom, Apartment

ALLEGED TEACHER SEX VIDEO UPDATE: Redlands School District Issues Statement

UPDATE: High School Teacher, 28, Accused of Having Sex and Baby with Student, 16