Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Substitute Teacher Allegedly Told 14-Yr-Old Boy: "Just Put It In Already"
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 9, 2015
Modified Jul 25, 2017
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 9, 2015
Modified Jul 25, 2017
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The substitute teacher accused of raping a 14-year-old student multiple times was supported by dozens of family members and friends at her court appearance yesterday. And her lawyer says she's innocent.
Maria Contreras, a mother of two young children, faces six counts of rape with a victim under 15 years old and two counts of criminal sex act with a victim under 15. She worked as a substitute paraprofessional at the Bronx Academy of Letters since September 2013 until the Department of Education fired her after her arrest. The NY Times reports:
In a criminal complaint, prosecutors said Ms. Contreras had sexual intercourse with the boy six times at her apartment over the course of about two weeks in November. After performing and receiving oral sex from the boy during their first encounter, the complaint said, Ms. Contreras told him, “Just put it in already.”
In January, Ms. Contreras assaulted the boy twice at school by rubbing his genitals through his clothing, the complaint said. He asked her to stop, the complaint said.
However, Contreras' lawyer, Ruth Hamilton, pointed out that paraprofessionals are not allowed to be alone with the students, "This is an accusation that does not ring true." She said of the accuser, "This is the word of a special needs child with serious behaviorism issues," and added, "There is no evidence. No e-mails, no texts, no Facebook posts, no messages."
Contreras, 29, is being held on $25,000 bail.
Tagged
bronx
Maria Contreras
rape
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Trump administration sends election monitors to NYC, NJ
The administration had previously said it planned to send 1,000 monitors nationwide.
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Nov 3, 2026 at 12:06 p.m. ET
Child dies in raging Upstate New York measles outbreak
It’s the first measles death in the state in 30 years.
By
Caroline Lewis
News
Child dies in raging Upstate New York measles outbreak
It’s the first measles death in the state in 30 years.
By
Caroline Lewis
Medicaid is changing. We want to hear from NYers about what's ahead.
By
Caroline Lewis
A typo. A missing screw. These are the small snags keeping NYC families in shelters.
By
Karen Yi
Early Addition: Why Sweetgreen is pivoting to wraps
By
James Ramsay
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .