Former Substitute Teacher and Boyfriend Indicted on Dozens of Child-Sex Charges After Alleged Abuse of 5-Year-Old

A Texas grand jury returned indictments on March 4 charging a former substitute teacher and her boyfriend with dozens of counts tied to the alleged sexual abuse of a 5-year-old girl. Authorities say the accusations include aggravated sexual assault of a child, sexual contact with a child and possession with intent to promote child pornography.

Indictments and Allegations

Madison Paige Jones, 30, was indicted on 19 counts, while Zackery Dondlinger, 37, was indicted on 20 similar counts, according to public records from Ellis County. A grand jury's indictment indicates prosecutors believe there is sufficient evidence for the cases to proceed to trial; the charges remain allegations until proven in court.

Madison Paige JonesCredit: Midlothian Police Department

Investigation and Arrests

Authorities say investigators were first alerted by a woman who identified herself as a friend of Jones and who reported concerns about Dondlinger’s behavior toward a 5-year-old in Jones’ home. Court affidavits and police reports obtained by local outlets allege Jones admitted to law enforcement that she sexually abused the child at Dondlinger’s direction and that she transmitted videos of the acts to him via Snapchat. Investigators also say they recovered text messages that corroborated parts of her statement.

Jones was arrested on Dec. 19, 2025, according to a media release from the Winkler County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives later identified Dondlinger as a second suspect and arrested him on Dec. 23, 2025, at the oil rig where he was employed.

Zackery DondlingerCredit: Winkler County Sheriff's Office

Employment And School District Statement

Local reporting and public records identified Jones as a substitute teacher on the Midlothian Independent School District (Midlothian ISD) roster. A district spokesperson told local media that Jones had worked only a handful of days in the past year, is no longer employed by the district, and that the alleged offenses did not appear to have occurred on school property or involved district students.

Bail And Next Steps

Following the indictments, bonds were substantially increased: Jones’ bond rose from $90,000 to $3,840,000, and Dondlinger’s bond was raised from $200,000 to $5,000,000, local reports said. As the criminal process continues, court dates and pretrial proceedings will determine how the cases move forward.

Resources

If you or someone you know is affected by sexual abuse, professional help is available. Text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to connect with a certified crisis counselor. To report suspected child abuse or seek assistance, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or visit www.childhelp.org; calls are toll-free, confidential and available 24/7 in many languages.

Note: All allegations described in this story are based on public court filings and law-enforcement reports. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.