Education

New details emerge in teen lesbian’s arrest for underage sex

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Robby Soave Reporter
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A gay rights hero to some and a child molester to others, 18-year-old Kaitlyn Hunt will likely face the judgment of a court after rejecting a deal which would have required her to plead guilty to engaging in sex with her underage girlfriend. And as new details about the case emerge some of Hunt’s former supporters are starting to back away.

Under the rejected deal, Hunt would have served two years under house arrest and another year of probation, but would not be incarcerated or listed as a sex offender.

If a new deal is not reached, the case will go to trial, where Hunt could face up to 15 years in prison.

Last November, Hunt began a romantic relationship with a 14-year-old female student. Both attended Sebastian River High School in Florida, and played on the basketball team together. The age difference between the two girls was three and a half years.

The relationship became sexual sometime before Christmas, when they first had sexual contact in a bathroom at the high school, according to the arrest affidavit. After briefly running away from home on January 4th, the younger girl spent the night at Hunt’s home, where they engaged in oral sex and mutual masturbation.

Their basketball coach found out about the relationship and notified the younger girl’s parents, Jim and Laurie Smith. The Smiths forbade Hunt to see their daughter and alerted the police. Since the age of consent in Florida is 16 years of age, Hunt was arrested on charges of lewd and lascivious battery on a child.

The parents also pressed school authorities to expel Hunt, who was forced to complete her senior year at an alternate high school.

Police officers recorded a phone call between Hunt and her girlfriend in which Hunt referenced their relationship and said that she had fallen in love with Smith.

Hunt told authorities that the criminal nature of the relationship never crossed her mind, since her girlfriend seemed mature and was actually taller than she was.

The girlfriend does not want Hunt prosecuted, but has no legal say in the matter, since she is underage.

Hunt’s parents and numerous online supporters claim that she was singled out for special punishment because of the gay aspect of the relationship.

“For my daughter’s sexual preferences, she’s getting two felony charges,” said Steve Hunt, Kaitlyn’s father, in an interview with The Associated Press. “It could possibly ruin her future.”

A sympathetic Huffington Post article also led with the headline “Kaitlyn Hunt, Florida Teen, Faces Felony Charges Over Same-Sex Relationship.”

Some supporters initially created online petitions on Change.org and Daily Kos.The Change.org petition asks state attorneys to “stop the prosecution of an 18 year old girl in a same-sex relationship.”

The Daily Kos rescinded its petition after the publication of the arrest record revealed that the gap between the girls was wider than originally reported. Early reports said the girls were only two years apart.

The Smiths, the sheriff, and the state attorney maintain that the case is about underage sex, not same-sex relationships.

“If this was an 18-year-old male and that was a 14-year-old girl, it would have been prosecuted the same way,” said Deryl Loar, Indian River County Sheriff, in a statement.

But Hunt’s supporters say the law is farcical, since it bans sex between 14-year-olds and 18-year-olds, but permits it between 16-year-olds and 23-year-olds.

Thad Altman, a Republican state senator who represents Sebastian, Florida, said the law should be altered so people like Hunt don’t face criminal charges.

“There are just better ways of dealing with this issue than through our courts and criminal justice system,” said Altman in a statement. “They’re using the same system designed to go after murderers, rapists and child abductors. That’s just flat out wrong. And it’s hurting these kids.”

Atlman plans to sponsor legislation that would grant leniency to teenagers like Hunt, who were less than four years older than their purported victims.

In the meantime, Hunt’s first hearing is scheduled for June 20.

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