Woman Who Outed Abuser on YouTube Says She Was Motivated by Her Kids

“[When I tried to leave] she would rip the phone out of the wall, she would take my cell phone and break it,” Carrillo told Katie Couric of her experience with Cardosa. “She wouldn’t let me call anyone. I tried to get in my car and leave and she jumped on the hood of my car. I thought I was going to run her over.”

Earlier this month, her alleged sexual predator and former teacher Andrea Cardosa was charged with 16 counts of sexual abuse, including five counts of aggravated sexual assault on a child and 11 counts of lewd acts on a child, for abusing two victims.

Carrillo went on to say that, despite the years that have passed, it was the thought of the abuse happening to her new family that made her use the video platform to speak out.

“My stepdaughter had just turned 11 years old, and that’s around the time that I started that thing with her and I started to think, ‘Was that OK? Would I be OK with my stepdaughter having that kind of relationship with a coach or a teacher?’” she said. “My answer was always no, and it was always wrong every single time I thought about it.”

Cardoza is currently in prison facing pending $5 million bail and if she’s convicted she may face life behind bars. But that won’t return Carrillo’s lost innocence.

“Emotionally, with relationships I have a difficult time. I have a family and I love them to death … but I don’t trust people. It’s just gone,” Carrillo admitted. “I hope that she goes to jail because she took away my childhood and that’s something that I’ll never get back. I hope that it empowers people to come forward and that they realize that it’s not too late, you can do something about it.”