Special needs teacher Kelly Watson, 34, admits she had sex with 17-year-old male student

A special needs teacher admitted in court that she had sex with a 17-year-old boy when he was her student.

Kelly McKenzy Watson, 34, met the 17-year-old while she was his teacher at the residential New Haven Youth and Family Services in Vista, Los Angeles. The establishment works with emotionally disturbed boys.

She was employed there from September 2010 to August 2011, before transferring to teach at Oceanside High School in Califoia.

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Watson pleaded guilty last Thursday to a felony charge of unlawful sex with a minor at a San Diego court, according to North County Times. She faces up to to three years in jail and being placed on the sex offender's register.

Detectives were tipped off about possible inappropriate sexual conduct between Watson and the boy on July 30. She was arrested on August 10.

Watson is believed to have dated the boy for several months before her arrest. She has been on unpaid leave from her teaching post since her arrest and it is expected that her contract will be terminated following a school district meeting on December 11.

The 34-year-old is out on $45,000 bail until she is sentenced on February 6.

Pleading guilty: Watson heads to court last week in San Diego to face felony sex charges. She will be sentenced in February

On leave: Watson, 34, is likely to have her teaching contract terminated at Oceanside High School after she admitted the affair

San Diego, Califoia News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.com