The alleged victim’s mother testified that she called police prior to the trial because she was concerned her daughter may be lying about some things.
As the trial of a former Regina teacher accused of sexual crimes involving a minor continued Tuesday, the alleged victim’s mother took to the witness stand.
She testified that her daughter called her a bad mom for not believing she was a victim.
Jeffrey Dumba, 52, stands accused of five offences. All of the charges are dated between June 23, 2021 and Sept. 2, 2021.
The charges include an allegation that he did invite, counsel or incite the alleged victim, who was under 16 at the time, to touch herself for a sexual purpose.
Other charges allege he communicated with a minor for the purpose of facilitating the commission of an offence, distributed sexually explicit material to a minor, and possessed child pornography.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the trial began in Regina’s Court of King’s Bench on Monday.
A court order is in place prohibiting the publication of information that could identify the alleged victim.
Tuesday’s proceedings began with the continuing testimony of a witness who was speaking to data extracted from multiple electronic devices seized by police.
Prosecutor Loren Klein later showed an image, which he partially obscured, to the alleged victim’s mother, who confirmed to the prosecutor that it featured one of the blankets she’d bought her children.
A police witness testified that a photo featuring a blanket belonging to the family was found among sexually explicit images on Dumba’s phone.
The mother told Klein that prior to police involvement in 2021, she hadn’t met Dumba and wasn’t aware her daughter was corresponding with him on social media.
But she later agreed with defence lawyer Darren Kraushaar that, prior to the incident, her daughter had told her about the teacher, who students considered “hot.” The girl had sought out a social media account of Dumba’s and showed it to her mother, the witness said. She agreed with the defence lawyer that she was concerned her daughter was infatuated with the teacher.
Klein later wondered why the witness had asked her daughter, during the girl’s police interview, whether she knew who the teacher was when the girl “added” him on social media.
The mother said she was in shock.
“When I asked her this, I was trying to be her mom,” she added, noting she hoped her daughter would open up and get the “help she needs.”
The witness agreed with Kraushaar that she’d contacted police prior to the trial and shared concerns with an officer that her daughter might be lying about some things.
“I was feeling really guilty about everything that was going on,” she said.
The mother agreed she was hesitant about testifying because of how her daughter might react.
“Because of me even questioning her, she’s tried to have the kids removed from my home. She said that I would beat her,” she told the defence lawyer.
Klein later questioned the witness about her current relationship with her daughter. She called it “non-existent,” and confirmed it was already bad when she’d called the police prior to the trial.
However, the witness denied she was “angry,” instead saying she was “devastated.”
She emotionally told Klein that she loves her child and did not want to testify.
“Did I want to admit that my child sought this out? No. But did I know she has a history of inappropriate relationships with adults? Yes, I did.”
The trial is slated to continue Wednesday.
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