Taylor Welch identified as arrested Hutchinson Middle School substitute teacher on felony lewd act on a child charge

By Brian Hews

Detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau have arrested Taylor Welch, a 22 year old resident of La Mirada for possible felony lewd act on a minor child.

In a statement to the media this afternoon from LASD officials, detectives began the investigation on April 24, when notified by school officials about possible inappropriate contact between the teacher and the student. Sheriff’s investigators immediately began their investigation, which led to the suspect being relieved from his teaching duties by the school.

Investigators have learned that the suspect, Welch, a substitute teacher since September 2011, has only taught at Hutchinson Middle School in La Mirada. He met the 13-year old female victim in his classroom.
He allegedly later found the other on Facebook in December, 2011. A friendship developed, allegedly leading to the unlawful exchange of sexually graphic photographs, live video feed and sexting messages between Welch and the child. Inappropriate personal contact also occurred in the classroom after class, said law enforcement.

Welch was arrested Tuesday morning for felony Lewd Acts Upon a Child, 288(a) P.C. and Distributing Obscene Material to a Minor, 288.2 P.C. and is being held on $140,000.00 bail.

Authorities were made aware of the situation when the victim showed photographs of the suspect, which were stored on her cell phone, to a friend. This led to a parent reporting the matter to school authorities who notified the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Dr. Ruth Perez, Superintendent of Schools for the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District told Los Cerritos Community Newspaper and the la Mirada Lamplighter that Welch has not worked at any other schools in the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District in the past.

“We are in full cooperation with law enforcement officials as they continue their investigation,” Perez said this morning.

“Because this is under investigation, we can provide no further comment at this time,” she said.

Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau detectives believe it is possible there are additional victims and urge anyone who may have been a victim to contact investigators. If you have any information concerning the suspect please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau at 1-877-710-5273 (LASD) or [email protected] (Habalamos Espanol). Or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org