A former Mandurah teacher who became pregnant with her 12-year-old student's baby after a prolonged period of sexual abuse has been permanently banned from the teaching profession. Naomi Tekea Craig, 33, pleaded guilty this week to a shocking series of charges that have ended her career and exposed a disturbing breach of trust.
Career Over After Guilty Plea to Multiple Offences
Craig appeared in court on Tuesday where she admitted to 15 separate charges, including sexual penetration of a child under 13. The Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia has confirmed her registration has been cancelled, effectively ending her ability to teach in the state. Her former employer, Frederick Irwin Anglican School in Mandurah, has also confirmed she is no longer employed by the institution.
Abuse Spanning More Than a Year
The court heard that Craig's abuse of the victim continued for over a year, with her last contact occurring on December 16 - just one day before her initial court appearance. The relationship resulted in pregnancy, with DNA testing of placental material confirming the newborn's connection to the victim, who was only 12 years old when Craig conceived.
Charges were updated after Craig gave birth to her second child on January 8, adding 11 further offences to the original four counts. These included multiple counts of sexual penetration of children under 13 and under 16, indecent dealings, and possession of child exploitation material.
School Response and Professional Background
Frederick Irwin Anglican School, where Craig taught music at both Halls Head and Meadow Springs campuses under the surname Woods since 2024, sent a newsletter to parents on January 6 after the offending became public. The school stated the victim was no longer a student and that Craig had been suspended pending police investigation outcomes.
Craig, who held a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Western Australia and a Diploma of Education from Edith Cowan University, had worked as a private music teacher before securing what was described as a dream job at one of Mandurah's most prestigious primary schools.
Brazen Behaviour During Pregnancy
Throughout her pregnancy, Craig engaged in what authorities described as brazen behaviour, including posing for professional glamour maternity photoshoots. A series of images showed the married mother-of-two in various outfits, with one photographer even branding her an absolute bombshell.
Disturbingly, one set of these photos was uploaded on December 7 - less than ten days before she last abused her young victim. Craig was on maternity leave when initially charged with two counts of sexual penetration of a child over 13 and under 16, persistent sexual conduct with a child under 16, and possessing child exploitation material.
Current Status and Restrictions
While currently on bail, Craig faces strict conditions including a ban on unsupervised contact with any child under 18, except for her newborn. The case has sent shockwaves through the Mandurah community and raised serious questions about child protection protocols within educational institutions.
The Teacher Registration Board's decisive action in cancelling her registration underscores the severity with which such breaches of professional conduct are treated in Western Australia's education system.
