A 30-year-old substitute teacher from Texas, Madison Paige Jones, and her 37-year-old boyfriend, Zackery Dondlinger, have been charged with a disturbing series of sex crimes against a 5-year-old girl in the small town of Happy, northern Texas. The couple is facing a total of 39 counts of child sex crimes and are currently held on bonds totaling almost $9 million, according to a report by KVII.
The alleged abuse occurred between December 5-17, 2025, and involved a young girl, as reported by the police in Midlothian, Texas. Authorities were alerted on December 17 regarding the sexual assault of a child, leading to Jones’ arrest two days later.
A friend of Jones made the initial call to the authorities, expressing concerns about Dondlinger’s behavior towards the child in Jones’ home. Court documents obtained by NewsChannel10 revealed that Jones confessed to the abuse, stating that Dondlinger instructed her to commit the acts. She also admitted to sending videos of the disturbing acts to Dondlinger via Snapchat.
Jones, who was working as a substitute teacher for the Midlothian Independent School District at the time, detailed that Dondlinger had sexual fantasies involving the child. Dondlinger was apprehended on December 23 at an oil rig located an hour west of Odessa, Texas.
Dondlinger is facing multiple charges, including 13 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, three counts of indecency with a child exposure, two counts of indecency with a child sexual contact, and additional charges related to child pornography. Jones is also facing serious charges, including aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child exposure, indecency with a child sexual contact, and possession with intent to promote child pornography.
As part of the investigation, authorities seized Jones’ iPhone and iPad, along with two iPhones belonging to Dondlinger. Midlothian ISD confirmed that Jones is no longer employed by the district and provided information on her last dates of employment as a substitute teacher.
The case has shocked the community and raised concerns about the safety and protection of children. The legal proceedings against Jones and Dondlinger are ongoing as they face the consequences of their alleged heinous actions.
