GUILTY FL - Kaitlyn Hunt for statutory rape of 14yo girl, Vero Beach, 2013

[gitana1]

A piece written by Kaitlyn's father...

http://www.xojane.com/issues/kaitlyn-hunt

This says the relationship began when both were minors, and that the younger one's parents never attempted to contact Kaitlyn's family, nor did they go through the school - but went straight to police once K turned 18.

It's compelling, but they are fudging some facts. If Kaitlyn didn't have sex with the 14 year old when after age 18, there would be no case. The police reports shows she did, when there was a 4 year age gap.

 

[jjenny]

And per police report, they started dating in November and having sex sometime around Christmas. She was 18 already when the two started dating or having sexual behavior. Even if they were hanging around prior to her turning 18, without having sex, it would be legal, and parents of the minor had nothing to turn her in for. Also, the parents didn't wait until she turned 18 to turn her in. She turned 18 in August. Police were contacted in February.

 

[Gardenlady]

I think he is referring to the relationship having begun when both were minors, not the sex.

As to why not go to police, well... I always try to solve things between adults before calling in the cops, don't most people? Yes, Kaitlyn was 18, but still in school and living in her parents home, and therefore subject to their rules too. If I'm trying to solve a problem, I don't automatically come out guns blazing (metaphorical guns!), looking to enact the harshest methods possible. A rational discussion usually gets better results. If talking to the older person themself didn't work, I'd go to the parents. If the parents were unresponsive, then I'd seek a restraining order. If I knew the sex wasn't coercive, I don't think I'd push for a stat rape charge, because I wouldn't want the older one's life ruined, and I wouldn't want to alienate my own child in the process.

It all seems very heavy handed, and I am very uncomfortable seeing issues of otherwise consensual acts between two fellow students settled via criminal courts.

 

[jjenny]

14 year old parents didn't go to straight to the police after KH turned 18. Again, she turned 18 in August. Police were contacted if February.
So that doesn't add up, anyway I look at it.
Police affidavit says dating began in November. KH was already 18 by then. Sexual behavior started around Christmas. Again, KH was 18.
If some sort of relationship began prior to that where they were hanging together, that is not illegal and minor's parents had nothing to contact police about.

 

[JeannaT]

I think he is referring to the relationship having begun when both were minors, not the sex.

As to why not go to police, well... I always try to solve things between adults before calling in the cops, don't most people? Yes, Kaitlyn was 18, but still in school and living in her parents home, and therefore subject to their rules too. If I'm trying to solve a problem, I don't automatically come out guns blazing (metaphorical guns!), looking to enact the harshest methods possible. A rational discussion usually gets better results. If talking to the older person themself didn't work, I'd go to the parents. If the parents were unresponsive, then I'd seek a restraining order. If I knew the sex wasn't coercive, I don't think I'd push for a stat rape charge, because I wouldn't want the older one's life ruined, and I wouldn't want to alienate my own child in the process.

It all seems very heavy handed, and I am very uncomfortable seeing issues of otherwise consensual acts between two fellow students settled via criminal courts.

I completely agree. If their goal was to get Kaitlyn away from their daughter, going to the parents with this request would very probably have done it.

We haven't heard comments from the younger girl, but my guess is she hates her parents and probably won't ever forgive them for this.

Revenge isn't that sweet to me, that I would ruin my relationship with my child to see someone else suffer.

 

[jjenny]

I don't find wild speculation of how this 14 year old feels about her parents to be convincing at the least. I saw the parents of 14 year old interviwed. They seemed like concerned parents to me. And I don't think it's appropriate for anyone to harrass these parents.

 

[believe09]

I don't find wild speculation of how this 14 year old feels about her parents to be convincing at the least. I saw the parents of 14 year old interviwed. They seemed like concerned parents to me. And I don't think it's appropriate for anyone to harrass these parents.

Agreed. The more I read the more I feel comfortable with my original position. I am also convinced that Kaitlyn will lose.

Kaitlyn was 18 when the relationship began. Her attorney even said that if this had occurred 108 days ago, "we wouldnt be here." Somehow I have to believe that he would be milking the relationship beginning prior to Kaitlyn's 18 birthday if it were the case.

I am not sure why it is preferable that Kaitlyn was 17 and her victim possibly 13...we are still talking about an imbalance in power here. This is why children arent allowed to consent to sex. They are easily manipulated. Although I get Kaitlyn's hot seat might not be a criminal one. Might. She persisted. That says a lot about Kaitlyn and the kind of person she is imo.

 

[Tugela]

This is simply a case of two teenagers in a consensual relationship that the parents don't approve of, and are now using the law as a blunt instrument to get their way. All this talk about rape is ridiculous. This girls parents need to grow up and realize that their little girl is not a little girl any more, and is in the process of becoming a woman. This situation should be dealt with in a civil court, not a criminal one.

In a situation where a relationship was legal a 100 or so days prior, then became illegal for a bit, then legal again, that is a loophole in the law. Laws should be written so that sort of situation does not arise.

As far as consenting to sex is concerned, it should never be a criminal issue when the minor is of sufficient age to be reasonably informed on the subject, and certainly pretty much every 14 year old in modern society is reasonably informed. This case is more about the parents disapproval than anything else. I wonder, have they stopped to consider what sort of psychological damage they are inflicting on their daughter through all of this? She is old enough to know what is going on and may never forgive them.

 

[Tugela]

Agreed. The more I read the more I feel comfortable with my original position. I am also convinced that Kaitlyn will lose.

Kaitlyn was 18 when the relationship began. Her attorney even said that if this had occurred 108 days ago, "we wouldnt be here." Somehow I have to believe that he would be milking the relationship beginning prior to Kaitlyn's 18 birthday if it were the case.

I am not sure why it is preferable that Kaitlyn was 17 and her victim possibly 13...we are still talking about an imbalance in power here. This is why children arent allowed to consent to sex. They are easily manipulated. Although I get Kaitlyn's hot seat might not be a criminal one. Might. She persisted. That says a lot about Kaitlyn and the kind of person she is imo.

The "victim" is 15 now, so the age difference would have been more like 17/14, which is not a significant difference.

As to why they persisted, I believe it is called love. You know the old saying, love is blind. Both of these girls are teenagers and that would make them especially blind.

 

[EmmaliLucia]

A piece written by Kaitlyn's father...

http://www.xojane.com/issues/kaitlyn-hunt

This says the relationship began when both were minors, and that the younger one's parents never attempted to contact Kaitlyn's family, nor did they go through the school - but went straight to police once K turned 18.

But that's a bold-faced lie.

They DIDN'T go straight to the police once K turned 18. She turned 18 in August and they went to the police in February.

They may not have gone to K's parents, but they say they went to K and I believe them. I believe them a LOT more than I believe K's parents, K's parents have been caught lying about a number of things to the media to try to get everyone on their daughter's side and I don't think I'd believe them if they told me the sky was blue

Also, they didn't go to the school because the school went to them. After they were caught having sex in the school bathroom.








Can I just say something? I can't think of a possible circumstance in which two teens having sex in the school bathroom (When they were apparently allowed to have sex at K's house, her parent's own admission), that is not really off. Maybe that's just my germaphobe talking, but seriously, people s*** in there, why are you having sex in there?

 

[Gardenlady]

Really? Any sex in the bathroom is predatory? Granted, it's disgusting lol, but always predatory? What about a back room, a closet, or little used hallway? An empty theater? I know of sex happening in all those places back when I was in high school, none of them predatory or coercive. Is there something about the bathroom that makes it predatory? :waitasec:

I think it has more to do with opportunity (or lack of it) than anything else.

 

[EmmaliLucia]

Really? Any sex in the bathroom is predatory? Granted, it's disgusting lol, but always predatory? What about a back room, a closet, or little used hallway? An empty theater? I know of sex happening in all those places back when I was in high school, none of them predatory or coercive. Is there something about the bathroom that makes it predatory? :waitasec:

I think it has more to do with opportunity (or lack of it) than anything else.

I agree, predatory's the wrong word. But still, she couldn't (Or wouldn't) wait like, two hours to get home?

And there's something a lot cleaner about an empty hallway, theatre, or closet than there is a restroom.

Again, sex in a restroom. Ew ew ew ew ew. It's just as filthy and not even remotely as romantic as sex on a beach. Lol

 

[jjenny]

The "victim" is 15 now, so the age difference would have been more like 17/14, which is not a significant difference.

As to why they persisted, I believe it is called love. You know the old saying, love is blind. Both of these girls are teenagers and that would make them especially blind.

No, the age difference was 18 to 14. 18 is legally an adult. 14 is a minor.

 

[Gardenlady]

Well yeah, like I said, groossssssss lol. But not inherently predatory.

But again, I'm assuming we were all, at some point, hormonal teenagers. There is a reason we went "parking", or met at homes where parents weren't home, or somewhere else we would now, as adults, consider gross or inappropriate. We thought we couldn't wait! I'm guessing that's what was up with the bathroom. "Couldn't" wait/opportunity was there.

 

[gitana1]

The "victim" is 15 now, so the age difference would have been more like 17/14, which is not a significant difference.

As to why they persisted, I believe it is called love. You know the old saying, love is blind. Both of these girls are teenagers and that would make them especially blind.

No, we know the exact ages. The minor was 14 and Kaitlyn was 18 when the sexual relationship started, apparently. And since when is the "love is blind" argument a rational argument for the morality or ethics of particular conduct? Is that a good justification for a woman who stays with a man who hits her? Because I hear that argument a lot. How about for a 35 year old who "has sex" with a 7 year old? Because NAMBLA uses the "love" argument too.

Can't you put yourself in the shoes of the parents? How would you feel if an 18 year old man was "doing" your 14 year old child? How would you feel if you knew that was your child's first sexual experience, with someone four years older? And how would you feel if your child started having behavioral problems after engaging in such a relation ship? How would you feel if, after telling the 18 year old to stop coming near your 14 year old, he refused? How would you feel if your 14 year old sneaked out of your home at night, was picked up in a car by the 18 year old man, taken to his home where he used his fingers and a vibrator on her? Would you say, "Oh, come, on they are both just kids?"

I use the male context because I think the fact that the adult student is a girl really throws people. But to me there is not too much difference. An adult student, yes very young but still FOUR YEARS OLDER, having sex with a kid just out of junior high. I'm sorry, I don't give a damn what their sexual orientation is. That's irrelevant. Just see what tries to happen if some 18 year old was preying on and trying to have sex with my 14 year old! I might end up in jail myself!

If I were this child's parents, I would have been scared to death and horrified. Yes, perhaps speaking to the 18 year old's parents would have been very wise. But maybe they felt, based on the conduct and behavior of both girls, that they needed to act fast and decisively before more damage was done.

I believe that 14 year olds are damaged by having sex at that age. I believe 14 year olds are damaged to a much more serious degree when having sex with someone much older and to me, four years is much older.

It is an imbalance of power and that's why it's against the law. I think Kaitlyn is a kid who aggressively pursued a child, regardless of anticipated consequences or admonitions or the mental state or feelings of the child or her parents. And that speaks volumes to me about who she is.

Also, I read a post that cannot be substantiated but that discussed a link to a youtube video featuring Kaitlynn egging on her younger sister in a fist fight. The video has since been removed, apparently, but I;m just not seeing this whole thing or this kid as innocent as some are.

I see about one little lesbian couple outside my home every year, making out (I live across from a high school), hugging, loving each other, tenderly adjusting each other's sweaters or whatever. It's adorable to me and sweet. Just like it is with two opposite sex kids I see "in love". But they appear to be the same age or close to it.

On the other hand, I also see creepy seniors who got kicked out and go to the continuation school, creeching by in their vehicles to monitor their sophomore or junior-aged girlfriends. That's not adorable or sweet to me. It's predatory and controlling.

But I have never even seen what appear to me to be freshmen and seniors in a relationship. I see the difference between seniors and freshmen. It's vast. And that's just wrong. :moo:

 

[gitana1]

I completely agree. If their goal was to get Kaitlyn away from their daughter, going to the parents with this request would very probably have done it.

We haven't heard comments from the younger girl, but my guess is she hates her parents and probably won't ever forgive them for this.

Revenge isn't that sweet to me, that I would ruin my relationship with my child to see someone else suffer.

She's 14. If my 14 year old is engaging in behavior I feel is dangerous and damaging (sex with an older person), I don;t give a damn that they may "hate" me. I;m the parent, not the friend.

And I think the kid allowed an intimate conversation between her Kaitlynn to be recorded by the police and not only did she not try to tip off Kaitlyn, she must have "acted" as well, so as to get Kaitlyn to speak normally and without restraint in the call.

A child who "Hates" her parents and is devastated by what the police are doing is not going to be able to pull that off. Sorry.

But in any event, my interference with my 14 year old's sexual relationship is not going to cause me to lose my relationship with my child unless I;m also a horrible parent. It's crazy, but parents can actually prohibit their kids from doing certain things and not cause lasting "damage" to their relationship. It's called parenting. Happens everyday.

If that was my kid, I would actually have shipped her off so quickly to my evil aunts in Spain, who would monitor her every move, her head would spin. And oh, she would "hate" me so much! And a year later I bet she'd be snuggling with me at home on the couch and saying, "I love you mama".

I think people are forgetting just how young 14 really is.

 

[gitana1]

Well yeah, like I said, groossssssss lol. But not inherently predatory.

But again, I'm assuming we were all, at some point, hormonal teenagers. There is a reason we went "parking", or met at homes where parents weren't home, or somewhere else we would now, as adults, consider gross or inappropriate. We thought we couldn't wait! I'm guessing that's what was up with the bathroom. "Couldn't" wait/opportunity was there.

Yeah, teenagers have sex. I had sex as a teen. But with someone my own age and development level. And not at 14.

 

[JeannaT]

She's 14. If my 14 year old is engaging in behavior I feel is dangerous and damaging (sex with an older person), I don;t give a damn that they may "hate" me. I;m the parent, not the friend.

And I think the kid allowed an intimate conversation between her Kaitlynn to be recorded by the police and not only did she not try to tip off Kaitlyn, she must have "acted" as well, so as to get Kaitlyn to speak normally and without restraint in the call.

A child who "Hates" her parents and is devastated by what the police are doing is not going to be able to pull that off. Sorry.

But in any event, my interference with my 14 year old's sexual relationship is not going to cause me to lose my relationship with my child unless I;m also a horrible parent. It's crazy, but parents can actually prohibit their kids from doing certain things and not cause lasting "damage" to their relationship. It's called parenting. Happens everyday.

If that was my kid, I would actually have shipped her off so quickly to my evil aunts in Spain, who would monitor her every move, her head would spin. And oh, she would "hate" me so much! And a year later I bet she'd be snuggling with me at home on the couch and saying, "I love you mama".

I think people are forgetting just how young 14 really is.

I see what you're saying about her hating her parents. I certainly would step in and save my child, if I thought they were in danger, and forbid the child to see the person I thought was destructive. And the kid can hate me, that's fine.

This is bigger than that, IMHO.

The parent's actions will ruin the life of this girl's first love. That's WAY different than saying you won't be allowed to see her anymore. The long-reaching consequences of their actions will ruin Kaitlyn's life. How are we, as a society served by that? I can't see it.

When I was in 7th grade there was this 27 year old gas station attendant who was having a sexual relationship with a classmate of mine. I still remember his name and her name. He would come over between classes and kiss on her in the hallways right outside of science until one day the science teacher read him the riot act and told him never to come outside his classroom again and leave that baby girl alone. He never came back to the school, but didn't stop his sexual relationship with the girl.

He never saw handcuffs, I'll tell you that. Statutory rape laws are SO UNFAIR, in that they catch people who are good hearted and harmless, and others who are true predators are not arrested just based on who has parents who will press charges.

I worked with pregnant teens, and this one girl - 13 years old - went missing on the way back from the grocery store. Her family just handled it like who cares. I was the one who called the sheriff and started an investigation, and he called me back and said just like I knew, I found her at her boyfriend's house, she's fine. The boyfriend was in his late 20's, NOTHING was done.

It's just not fair. It's not fair to see who gets arrested and who should be arrested but isn't.

BTW - it's not completely clear to me that the girl knew she was being recorded.

 

[gitana1]

I see what you're saying about her hating her parents. I certainly would step in and save my child, if I thought they were in danger, and forbid the child to see the person I thought was destructive. And the kid can hate me, that's fine.

This is bigger than that, IMHO.

The parent's actions will ruin the life of this girl's first love. That's WAY different than saying you won't be allowed to see her anymore. The long-reaching consequences of their actions will ruin Kaitlyn's life. How are we, as a society served by that? I can't see it.

When I was in 7th grade there was this 27 year old gas station attendant who was having a sexual relationship with a classmate of mine. I still remember his name and her name. He would come over between classes and kiss on her in the hallways right outside of science until one day the science teacher read him the riot act and told him never to come outside his classroom again and leave that baby girl alone. He never came back to the school, but didn't stop his sexual relationship with the girl.

He never saw handcuffs, I'll tell you that. Statutory rape laws are SO UNFAIR, in that they catch people who are good hearted and harmless, and others who are true predators are not arrested just based on who has parents who will press charges.

I worked with pregnant teens, and this one girl - 13 years old - went missing on the way back from the grocery store. Her family just handled it like who cares. I was the one who called the sheriff and started an investigation, and he called me back and said just like I knew, I found her at her boyfriend's house, she's fine. The boyfriend was in his late 20's, NOTHING was done.

It's just not fair. It's not fair to see who gets arrested and who should be arrested but isn't.

BTW - it's not completely clear to me that the girl knew she was being recorded.

I get your ;point to some degree. But first of all, we don;t know that the 14 year old was in love. One's first sexual experience and being in love are two different things. I haven;t heard the word love from the 14 year old's mouth.

Second, the parent's actions aren't destroying Kaitlyn's life. Kailtyn's actions are. Again, that's a fallacy in logic. That's like saying the jury would have killed jodi arias if they voted for death. But that';s not true. They aren't the one's sticking the needle in her arm. Her own actions caused her to be where she is. Plus, Kaitlyn was offered a plea deal that would not ruin her life. It may limit certain things she can do in the future and in retrospect, I can see how that is probably too harsh for the situation. I am changing my mind on that.

However, that is not the 14 year old parent's fault or decision. From what they said, this was their last resort to extricate their child from an older teen who seemed predatory, would not stay away, helped their kid to run away, seduced her and who caused behavioral problems and changes in their young teen.

I agree that society is not served by destroying Kaitlyn's life. I disagree that the 14 year old's parents are ruining the life of her first love. Perhaps they are evil bigots. I don;t know. Maybe that's their only motivation - an abhorrence of homosexuality. If that is the case then they probably will destroy their relationship with their child at some point. But the only information we have that supports that is from the father of Kaitlyn in a letter in which he, at the least, made misleading statements. Thus, he is no longer credible to me at all.

Finally, the argument that more dangerous predators get away with it so why should Kaitlyn be prosecuted is not a justification for failing to prosecute her unless you can show that the failure to prosecute or investigate, worse statutory rape offenders, occurs with regularity in the same venue as where Kaitlyn was investigated and prosecuted, and only certain classes of people (like gay kids or black kids who have relationships with white kids, for example), are targeted. But I haven't seen those stats yet. Otherwise, you're logic would also mean that the fact casey anthony was acquitted means no mother in Florida who kills their child should be found guilty. A direct pattern of selective prosecution must be shown, IMO, for that argument to work.

I think the possible sentence in this situation is insane. I agree that perhaps this should be treated, in this case, as a misdemeanor. It depends though on Kaitlyn's actual conduct in the context of her sexual relationship with the much younger child. But I don;t buy the other arguments. IMO, a 14 year old was preyed upon by and older student and thus far, the only credible evidence I have is that her scared and horrified parents called the police as a last resort.

If I hear credible evidence to the contrary, I will change my mind. But for now, I see Kaitlyn as a spoiled brat with a possibly predatory or manipulative mindset and enabling parents. If they hadn't lied, I may have felt a little different.

 

[Frogzilla]

This case has many facets to it that allow for all kinds of interests to be raised. The facts as they have been presented so far are misleading, from ALL parties involved. Until we get all the facts laid out to us, everything discussed is based much more in morality than it is about the law of Florida and that creates a slippery slope. Strictly going by the statute she will be found guilty, hard to debate that, but for now the only directions I see this case heading is a misdemeanor plea (IMO best for everyone involved) or jury nullification.