The fate of a Fortuna High School teacher accused of having sex with one of her students will be with the jury soon after closing arguments began Thursday.

Deirdre Marie Peterson, 42, is facing charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and molesting or annoying a minor.

Deputy District Attorney Maggie Fleming only had about half an hour to start her closing arguments before the trial was concluded for the day.

Fleming said the teenage boy in the case, who was 16 years old at the time, had a hard time coping after the alleged sex occurred in June 2008.

”It's hard to be a teenager and have to repeatedly tell adults about a sexual experience,” Fleming told the jury.

Closing arguments are expected to resume today.