There is a petition here at change.org urging the Indian River County (Florida) State Attorney and Assistant Attorney to stop the prosecution of 18-year old Kaitlyn Hunt, an 18-year old high school senior in a consensual relationship with a fellow 15-year old student.
Here‘s Gawker’s take:
Kaitlyn Hunt, an 18-year-old high school senior from Indian River County, Florida, is facing felony charges for engaging in a sexual relationship with another girl at her school.
Kate, then 17, reportedly met the unnamed then-14-year-old toward the beginning of the school year.
The two began dating last September shortly after Kate’s 18th birthday, and their relationship eventually became intimate.
Everything was fine until a few months later, when Kate was suddenly arrested and charged with two counts of sexual battery on a person 12-16 years old.
It seems Kate’s girlfriend’s parents found out about the relationship, and went straight to the police.
…Sebastian River High School, where Kate was voted “Student with Most School Spirit,” has taken a similarly prejudiced approach toward dealing with the situation, according to Kate’s father.
First she was kicked off the school’s basketball team by the coach in order to avoid “drama.”
Then, caving to pressure from the parents of Kate’s girlfriend, the school board voted to expel her.
Kate is now faced with a Sophie’s Choice: Accept Assistant State Attorney Brian Workman’s plea deal, which would require her to admit to a felony, spend two years under house arrest, and possibly end up on the sex offender registry for life — or go to trial.
She has until this Friday to decide.
I’d love to know how many 18-year old high school boys in Indian River Country, Florida have been charged with violating the state’s age-of-consent laws.
-Bridget Crawford
