A former Texas substitute teacher, Madison Paige Jones, and her boyfriend, Zackery Dondlinger, were arrested and now face a combined total of 38 child sex crime charges, with their bonds totaling nearly $9 million. Authorities from the Midlothian Police Department began investigating after a December report involving a 5-year-old child living in Jones’ home.
Jones, who worked as a substitute teacher in the Midlothian Independent School District, was first arrested on December 19, 2025. Initial charges against her included aggravated sexual assault of a child, possession of child pornography, and multiple counts of indecency with a child. Dondlinger, arrested on December 23, faces charges including sexual performance by a child under 14, aggravated sexual assault, and indecency with a child.
Court documents reveal that Jones told investigators Dondlinger directed her to sexually assault the child. She admitted to recording videos of the abuse and sending them to Dondlinger via Snapchat. Police seized electronic devices from both suspects, including Jones’ iPhone and iPad and two iPhones from Dondlinger, containing evidence supporting these allegations.
Jones’ bond was raised from $90,000 to $3.8 million, while Dondlinger’s bond increased from $250,000 to $5 million. The Midlothian Independent School District confirmed Jones is no longer employed and noted there is no indication the alleged crimes are related to her employment or occurred on school property.
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