Special needs teacher arraigned for rape

Dutchess County special needs teacher Mandi Weeks, 27, has been arraigned on an eight-count criminal complaint, charging her with two counts of third-degree rape, three counts of third-degree criminal sexual act, one count of endangering the welfare of a child, and two counts of third-degree sexual abuse. If convicted, she faces up to four years in prison.
Weeks, who is employed by The Devereux Foundation, was ordered held on $15,000 bond/$5,000 cash bail and to return to court on August 11.
According to the complaint filed in the case, the defendant raped and sexually abused a 15-year-old male student on June 25 inside of his Queens home. She is also charged with sexually abusing him while sitting in a car in a Queens parking lot on July 6, then raping and sexually abusing him later that same day inside of his home.
“The charges are very disturbing. The victim is believed to have a 50 IQ, making him particularly vulnerable to a teacher who is supposed to have his best interest in mind,” said District Attorney Richard A. Brown.
The victim attends a year-round residential school for children with special needs. He was home on a break when the abuse is alleged to have happened.
According to Brown, the investigation began when the victim boarded a subway in an effort to find the defendant and got lost. His mother reported him missing and police, in going through his computer in search of leads, allegedly discovered inappropriate e-mails from the defendant.