Posted on 05/20/2013 12:47:07 PM PDT by presidio9
An 18-year-old Florida student’s senior year has become a nightmare — all because she was in a same-sex relationship with a 15-year-old, her family says.
Kaitlyn Hunt was arrested Feb. 16 for having a physical relationship with a younger classmate, who was her girlfriend at the time, mom Kelley Hunt Smith wrote on Facebook.
Under Florida law, Hunt could see up to 15 years in prison and must register as a sex offender. A plea deal, however, remains on the table that would give Hunt two years' house arrest and one year of probation, her family said.
“Does my daughter deserve to lose her life for 15 years, or 3 years, or to have no life, because of one choice she made in high school, absolutely not!!” Hunt Smith wrote Friday, adding, “This is a mother’s nightmare.”
The distraught mom and her family has launched an online campaign asking supporters to petition the State Attorney’s office in Indian River County and have them reconsider the charges.
“The (assistant) state attorney, Brian Workman needs to use taxpayers money to prosecute REAL criminals, not a high school student who has never been in trouble a day in her young life, all because she had a mutual consenting relationship with someone who has bigoted parents,” wrote Hunt Smith, who didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment Sunday.
Hunt’s uncle, Andrew Gay, told the Daily News that the girls were in the same social circle at Sebastian River High School and played together on the basketball team.
In September, after Hunt turned 18, she and the other girl, a freshman, began dating and expressed their relationship in “intimate ways,” the family said.
But when the basketball coach found out about their relationship, Hunt was thrown off the team and the other girl’s parents were notified.
The parents then told police, and a phone call was recorded between their daughter and Hunt in which the girls discussed their relationship, Gay said.
The age of consent in Florida is 18.
Hunt was arrested on two counts of felony lewd and lascivious battery on a child ages 12 to 16, jail records show.
Her family was devastated.
“We certainly aren’t saying that all 18-year olds anywhere should be able to date all 15-year olds,” Gay said. “But this is a situation where these two girls were in the same social circle, on the same basketball team. I just don’t think Kaitlyn looked at this girl and thought, 'She’s a certain age, so she’s off limits to me.'”
Hunt Smith claims the other family was upset because their daughter was in a same-sex relationship and believed that Hunt had somehow “made” their daughter gay.
“Of course I see it 100% different,” Hunt Smith wrote. “I don’t see or label these girls as gay. They are teenagers in high school experimenting with their sexuality, all teens do it in one form or another. ... And even if their daughter is gay, who cares, she is still their daughter.”
Hunt was expelled from the high school and agreed to have no contact with the other girl. She also transferred to an alternative high school.
Although she’ll be allowed to walk with the graduating class at Sebastian River High School, her final year — and future — has been tainted by scandal.
“Should the girls have made better choices, YES. I agree," Hunt Smith said, "but is this criminal, no."
The State Attorney’s Office in Indian River County couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Regardless of whether the family takes the plea, Gay said, a felony child abuse charge will ruin his niece’s future and her dream of one day becoming a nurse.
“She’s been a great student, so bright and not troubled at all,” Gay said. “She was voted ‘most school spirit.’ What’s happened to her now is ridiculous.”
Sure, why not? We've already estabilished that children are not capable of providing for their own health insurance before they turn 26.
If you want to avoid the "creep factor" simply amend the law to allow for a 4-year age difference, for example.
Well, DU awaits in that case. That’s not the attitude of a conservative, with all due respect.
Pretty sure thats Marty Feldman’s kid
You are misinterpreting the intent of the law. The idea here is to protect children under a certain age who are incapable of making adult decisions for themselves. Feel free to have sex with my 15 year old. Just ask for my permission first.
Please read the article before responding:
"In September, after Hunt turned 18, she and the other girl, a freshman, began dating and expressed their relationship in “intimate ways,” the family said."
Thanks so much.
It makes me sad that you would say this. Particularly on this conservative website.
Agreed. Another inflexible, “zero-tolerance” excuse for the state to intrude into families’ lives.
So the parents who want the law enforced out of concern for their child are “bigoted” because the oh-so-modern hyphenated-name mama never bothered teaching her own daughter any boundaries when it comes to sex? I don’t think so.
LEAVE FLUTTERSHY OUT OF THIS MAN! Im TELLIN YA!!! Don’t GO There!
So, everyone who has had sex before the age of 18 was "incapable" of making that decision? Give me a break.
Look, people can debate around the clock whether teens having sex is a good idea or not. But, one thing I'm quite sure of is an 18-year-old & 15-year-old having sex should not be a criminal act. That is Big Government stupidity.
Do you think that is a good law? Do you think an 18 year old having sex with a 17 year old (once again a hypothetical case, not this particular case) should be a crime worthy of prison and lifelong membership as a sexual offender?
Looks like she has a lazy eye...
FL already allows for a 24yo to date a 16yo. The cutoff is 16 even though the age of consent is 18.
You want it to be 15. How about 14? 13? 12?
I'm just playing devil's advocate. Who decides what the age should be? Commonsense can't come into play. The liberals have already ruined that with their ZERO TOLERANCE policies.
Frankly, and I said this yesterday, she should get no special treatment because she's a lesbian even thought that's what her mom is demanding.
The whole thing is that we are told that a 15 yo can get abortion drugs but can’t legally have sex. We are told that a 27 YO is a child per insurance, but an adult aside. That an 18 yo is child and man, too irresponsible to be trusted with a beer, yet responsible enough to drive an Abrams tank and kill hundreds.
While I have no answer what age today should be ‘consent’ I do know we have to look backwards for rational answers. Because we live in Toontown now.
Could have fooled me:
Well there is no indication that they had sex before and after her birthday
Is English your first language?
I am going to go out on a limb and assume that you are a libertarian. Correct?
You went there.....
But it coulda been worse ;)
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