Spokane, WASHINGTON

Feb 6, 2007 - A former student is suing Spokane Public Schools alleging that the school district was aware of her sexual relationship with Titus Epefanio, 30, which began when she was a 15-year-old freshman at Shadle Park High School and he was a teacher's aide at Salk Middle School.

Epefanio, who was a special education aide at Salk Middle School and a basketball coach, quit his job in the district in 2004. Epefanio, 29, was arrested in September on charges of child rape and sexual misconduct for his alleged relationship with the girl, more than a year after he fathered a child with her.

Sturgeon and Epefanio lived together for a time before the baby was born, and they talked of marrying, according to previous press reports. They never married, and she filed a restraining order against him in April 2006, alleging he had become possessive, and had raped her.
KREM report on the case. Spokane paper story.

GUILTY VERDICT September 23, 2008 -After four hours of deliberation, a jury convicted Epefanio Tuesday of third-degree rape of a child. Along with the rape conviction, jurors unanimously found one aggravating factor in the case, that the abuse took place over a long period of time. He will be sentenced in early November.

Epefanio had also faced a charge of first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor, but a judge dismissed it because of lack of evidence.

The girl and her family settled her case with the Spokane Public Schools this summer for an undisclosed amount.