According to documents from the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, a long-term substitute teacher at West Ottawa High School had sex with a 16-year-old student at least twice and threatened to kill herself if he told.
In late October, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office issued charges against Jill Ann Edstrom, 50, after a months-long investigation. On Tuesday, Oct. 26, Edstrom was arraigned in 58th District Court by Judge Juanita Bocanegra for third-degree criminal sexual behavior. Her bond was set at $25,000 and she posted it soon after she was arraigned.
After Edstrom’s husband discovered two used condoms in their home and alerted police on Thursday, Aug. 12, detectives began their investigation. He told police he’d been suspicious of his wife after she began going to bed later and later, and after he said he overheard his wife and the student having sex in their home earlier that week.
Edstrom and her husband told investigators that she was primarily a special education teacher at West Ottawa Public Schools, where she taught “cognitively delayed students.” At the time the investigation began, Edstrom was undergoing full-time orientation at Grand Rapids Public Schools.
According to investigators, Edstrom was formerly employed by WOPS for an eight-week summer school program that would run through August 2021. Assistant Superintendent Jens Milobinski informed police that Edstrom’s final day of interaction with students was Aug. 11, the day before her husband called the cops.
Edstrom was previously employed by the district for a summer school session in 2018, but throughout the regular school year worked for EduStaff, a company that supplies substitute teachers to schools across Michigan. During the 2020-2021 academic year, this includes long-term employment at West Ottawa High School.
As early as mid-May, Edstrom’s husband began to notice strange conduct between his wife and the pupil. Although it’s unclear whether the kid was in one of Edstrom’s West Ottawa classes, he told police that he frequently spent time in her classroom “instead of going where he was supposed to be.”
She also mentioned that the two “wrestled a lot,” but wasn’t sure if this was suitable. When questioned by authorities, she did not deny having a physical relationship.
To his mother, the sexual encounters were described as “rape” by the unidentified student, who claimed Edstrom had “been drunk one night and had come on to him and started having sex with him and he didn’t know what to do.”
During a forensic interview at the Children’s Advocacy Center, the student repeated similar charges, adding that Edstrom had Googled having sex with a 16-year-old and that she may “be in a lot of trouble and maybe go to prison.” Edstrom then threatened to kill the pupil if he told anybody about what had transpired.
The student’s mother told police that Edstrom came to her house on a frequent basis, which she considered “very helpful,” however she noticed that Edstrom was constantly “lurking close” and that she found it odd that Edstrom was always present when she called to check in on her son.
Edstrom has a teaching certificate and a master’s degree in special education, according to authorities. Edstrom was placed on unpaid leave in August, according to EduStaff.
She will appear in court on Wednesday, Dec. 8, at 2:30 p.m. for a preliminary exam, which is a session in which a judge reviews the evidence to see if there is “probable cause” to support the allegations.
Third-degree criminal sexual behavior is a felony offense. Although the law usually pertains to instances involving children aged 13 to 16, it also applies to students aged 16 to 18 in public and private schools when the suspect is “a teacher, a substitute teacher, or an administrator of that (school).”
Last known contact information
Address: 2152 Leigh Ct # B Holland, MI 49424
Phone: (989) 738-2540
Email: jilledstrom@gmail.com