ANDERSON, Calif. – An Anderson woman has been arrested after deputies said she sexually assaulted her foster child.

The Shasta County Major Crimes Unit was advised of the sexual assault on June 15. Several witnesses were contacted and confirmed the allegations were true, investigators said. The victim had already been removed from the foster home due to the allegations.

The victim’s former foster mother, 29-year-old Ashley Michalek from Anderson was identified as the suspect in the case. Michalek was interviewed by detectives during the course of the investigation and subsequently confessed to all of the known and suspected allegations, according to investigators.

Michalek was booked into the Shasta County Jail on 16 counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14, sexual penetration with a minor under the age of 14, and providing marijuana to a minor, according to the Shasta County Major Crimes Unit. Her bail is set at $500,000.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Shasta County Major Crimes Unit at 530-245-6135.