By Cheryl Mattox Berry
Internet support has been growing for 18-year-old Kaitlyn Hunt who faces 15 years in prison for having sex with her 14-year-old girlfriend in Sebastian, Fla.
Hunt is charged with two felony counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 to 16 years old. Hunt and the girl, who were basketball teammates at Sebastian River High School, began dating last November.
In December, they engaged in consensual sex in a bathroom at school. Their coach found out they were dating, kicked Hunt off the team and told the younger girl’s parents, who filed charges. Hunt was sent to an alternative school.
The legal age of sexual consent is 18 in Florida. In 2007, the state adopted a “Romeo and Juliet” law to address concerns about high school students being labeled sexual offenders or sexual predators as a result of participating in a consensual sexual relationship. The law doesn’t make it legal for an 18 year old to have sex with a 14 year old, but it allows the offender to petition the court to remove his/her name from the sexual offender registry if all requirements are met.
Hunt’s supporters say she is being prosecuted because she was in a same-sex relationship. The Indian River County state attorney argues that she broke the law, and her sexuality has no bearing on the case.
Until now, I’m willing to bet that few high school seniors paid much attention to the legal age of consent or knew about the “Romeo and Juliet” law. They should have been considering the large number of 14-year-old and 18-year-old students who attend high school.
Here are my other questions: Are school officials responsible for telling students about these laws? Parents? How exactly do you make teens comply with the age of consent law? How often do police enforce it?
High school students are one big peer group. No one pays much attention to age, especially since seniors and freshmen play on sports teams, participate in clubs and take classes together.
However, this case is a wake-up call for 18-year-old students to check the laws in their state. The laws apply whether you’re in a heterosexual or homosexual relationship, senior girl/freshman boy or senior boy/freshman girl. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.
Even more troubling about this case is the fact that Hunt had sex with her girlfriend at school. Really? That act alone should have led to swift and severe disciplinary action. Hunt exercised poor judgment in dating the young girl and having sex in a public facility.
Hunt has been offered a plea deal that would allow her to plead guilty to third-degree child abuse, face up to five years in prison and not have to register as a sex offender. The state would recommend two years of community control and one year of probation. Hunt must decide if she’ll take the deal by Friday.
Update: Hunt declined the deal. Her case goes to trial (jury or judge) in July.