L.F. Correctional Teacher Pleads Guility to Contributing to Delinquency of Minor, Cleared of Molestation Charge

A former teacher pleaded guilty Wednesday to contributing to the delinquency of a minor, but was cleared of a charge of molesting a 16-year-old boy at a juvenile correctional facility in Trabuco Canyon, according to court records and her attorney.

Dawn Marie Baloun of Lake Forest pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Another misdemeanor charge of annoying or molesting a child was dismissed, according to court records and Baloun's attorney Dyke Huish. Baloun was employed at the Joplin Youth Center in Trabuco Canyon.

When Baloun was charged in March of last year, prosecutors alleged she kissed and fondled the boy as they met together in classrooms, an office and in a towel closet. 

Huish said Baloun never molested the boy.

Orange County Commissioner Richard Pacheco sentenced Baloun to 15 days of community service and ordered her placed on five years of informal probation, Huish said. Baloun must also stay away from the victim, who is 19 years old, Huish said.

The guilty plea was negotiated with prosecutors, Huish added.

"The District (Attorney's Office) took a fair, honest look at it and we came to a responsible resolution of it,'' Huish said.

Baloun had exchanged written letters with the boy after he left the Trabuco Canyon facility and was sent to another facility in Indiana, Huish said.

"It amounted to rough talk in a rough environment,'' Huish said. "It was kind of like sailors on a ship. She was using rough talk in a rough environment with a rough kid.

"It was easily misunderstood," Huish said. "It was a good person, who may be was a little bit careless with some words, but never with a bad heart or bad intention, so she pled guilty and took responsibility for contributing to the delinquency of a minor.''

A counselor at the boy's new facility found the letters the two exchanged and contacted Orange County sheriff's investigators, Deputy District Attorney Vanessa Woods said when Baloun was charged. Baloun was teaching at the Joplin Youth Center and was working for the Orange County Department of Education at the time.

Baloun eventually was let go from her job, Huish said.

When contacted after business hours, Susan Kang Schroeder, the chief of staff for Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, said she was unaware the case had been resolved and did not have an immediate comment.

—City News Service