A Texas community has been left reeling after police arrested a local mother and substitute teacher accused of sexually abusing her own 5-year-old daughter and recording the acts to satisfy the sexual fantasies of her boyfriend.
Authorities arrested 30-year-old Madison Paige Jones on December 17 following a tip from a concerned friend. According to arrest affidavits, Jones confessed to investigators that she had assaulted the child on “multiple occasions” over several weeks. She allegedly told police the abuse was committed at the direction of her boyfriend, 37-year-old Zachary Dondlinger, who she said had requested videos of the acts.
The investigation began when officers were called to a home in Midlothian, a city south of Dallas. A friend of Jones reportedly told police she was worried about Dondlinger’s behavior toward the young girl.
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When questioned, Jones allegedly admitted to the abuse on the spot, describing how she had taken explicit photos and videos of her daughter and sent them to Dondlinger via Snapchat.
Court documents reveal chilling details uncovered during a forensic search of Jones’ phone. Investigators say they found messages where Dondlinger explicitly stated he wished to sexually assault the child while Jones watched. Another message allegedly indicated he was using images of the mother and daughter for sexual gratification.
The child, during a forensic interview, reportedly told authorities that her mother forced her to take nude photos and that Jones would often be on the phone with Dondlinger while the child was bathing.
Jones, who worked as a substitute teacher for the Midlothian Independent School District, is facing charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child, and possession of child pornography. Her bond was set at $90,000.
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In a statement, the school district confirmed that Jones had worked on campus four times in the past year but emphasized that the allegations were not related to her employment or any students at the school. She has since been terminated.
Dondlinger was tracked down and arrested on December 23 in Loving County, Texas. He has been charged with sexual performance by a child, a first-degree felony, and is being held on a $250,000 bond. Police seized multiple phones from Dondlinger as part of the ongoing investigation.
Both suspects remain in custody as prosecutors build their case based on the digital evidence and alleged confessions.
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