Taji Hillson, a 62-year-old former elementary school teacher from Nevada, has been arrested following her admission of sexually assaulting multiple children, including a toddler from her neighborhood, according to local law enforcement. Hillson was apprehended in Reno on July 2, subsequent to her written confession to a relative who had accused her of enduring sexual abuse from childhood into adulthood. This information was disclosed in a police report that was recently made public.
The adult victim, who had suffered from Hillson’s abuse, filed a police report in April. The report contained text messages where Hillson admitted to drugging the victim and engaging in inappropriate behavior. The police report elaborated on Hillson’s confession of using Benadryl to sedate the victim, which she would secretly mix into her food, and then proceed to touch her while she was unconscious.
During a police interview on June 25, Hillson reportedly admitted to the prolonged abuse of the woman, which persisted even after the victim had returned home from college in 2014. Hillson justified her actions by citing her feelings of invisibility and her desire for intimacy with another person, according to court documents.
Hillson also admitted to the inappropriate touching of at least twelve other children, including a 2-year-old neighbor at a local pool in recent years, as reported by the police. However, she has only been charged in two of these cases, with the police emphasizing that none of the victims were her students.
Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks expressed his profound shock at the allegations, praising the courage of the adult victim who reported the abuse. He stated that her bravery has facilitated the pursuit of justice and the safeguarding of others from harm.
Hillson was employed at Roy Gomm Elementary School from 2022 through June 2025, as reported by the Reno Gazette. The police have stated that there is no evidence to suggest that Hillson harmed any students during her tenure at the school.
Hillson has been charged with one count of sexual assault of a child under 14, one count of sexual assault, and three counts of lewdness with a child under 14, according to records from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Her bail has been set at $5 million.