Current:Home > NewsIdaho mother, son face kidnapping charges in 15-year-old girl's abortion in Oregon-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Idaho mother, son face kidnapping charges in 15-year-old girl's abortion in Oregon
View Date:2024-12-23 14:56:17
An 18-year-old Idaho man and his mother have been charged after a 15-year-old pregnant girl said she was taken to Oregon for an abortion without consent from her parents, prosecutors said.
The 18-year-old was charged with rape, second-degree kidnapping and three counts of production of sexually exploitative material with a child, according to court records. His mother, a 42-year-old woman, was charged with second-degree kidnapping.
"In this case, the child wanted to contact her parents regarding the situation before leaving the state" but the 18-year-old and his mother wouldn't let her, Bannock County Prosecuting Attorney Erin Tognetti said in a statement to USA TODAY.
David Martinez, a public defender for the mother-son duo, did not respond to USA TODAY’s requests for comment. But according to court documents, the mother said both her son and the girl agreed to get the abortion and she did not coerce the girl into doing it.
Abortion was already illegal in Idaho but in April, the state became the first to ban “abortion trafficking.” Republican Gov. Brad Little signed a bill into law deeming it illegal for adults to take pregnant Idaho girls to get abortions without parental consent, Stateline reported.
But with other criminal allegations in play, the prosecution of the mother and son isn't actually based on the abortion nor the "trafficking" statute, Tognetti said.
"The child’s abortion is not an element of the charged offense, and the Idaho Abortion Trafficking statute is not implicated in this case," Tognetti said.
Both the 18-year-old and his mother were booked into jail on Oct. 27 and then released, online court records show.
The mother and son were scheduled for preliminary hearings Tuesday, but Tognetti told USA TODAY Tuesday afternoon that both hearings were continued.
Alabama:Alabama parents arrested after their son's decomposing body found in broken freezer
Woman calls police about sexual assault of girl
Police got involved after a woman contacted officers in Pocatello, Idaho on June 18 to report a 15-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted while living with her boyfriend's family, according to court documents. The woman also said the girl was pregnant and then taken to Oregon for an abortion without parental consent.
The woman told police the girl was supposed to be living with her father at the time everything occurred.
Officers spoke with the girl’s mother, who told investigators neither parent gave the girl's boyfriend and his mother permission to take the teenager out of state, court documents show.
Florida:Florida babysitter who attempted to circumcise 2-year-old boy charged with child abuse
Victim says 18-year-old threatened to break up with her if she did not have abortion
The girl was also interviewed by a therapist at a child advocacy center and during that interview, said she had lived with her boyfriend and his mother for about six months and had a sexual relationship with the 18-year-old.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the girl said initially she was afraid to tell her parents about the pregnancy because she didn’t want to get her boyfriend in trouble, but later changed her mind. When she was preparing to break the news to her parents, her boyfriend's mother threatened to kick her out of the house.
His mother made plans for the girl to get an abortion and on May 18, rented a car and drove the girl to Oregon. The abortion was done the next day and afterwards, the girl was kicked out of the mother and son’s home.
The girl also told police that during her relationship with her boyfriend, he suggested they use their cell phones to take photos and videos of them having sex. Officers took the media from her phone. Although the male’s face wasn’t visible in the footage, officers made note of his tattoos and scars, as well as the surroundings in the photos and videos.
Rental car agreement matches date victim says she got an abortion, police say
In September, officers received a rental car agreement matching the dates the victim said she was taken to Oregon for the abortion.
They also looked at call records and concluded that her boyfriend's phone, his mother’s phone and the victim’s phone traveled to Oregon together that day.
Officers secured a search warrant on Oct. 26, allowing them to search the suspects' home. According to police, the boyfriend's scars and tattoos matched the ones visible in the recordings on the girl’s phone. Décor in the footage on the victim’s phone also matched the home they were searching.
Police said the 18-year-old boyfriend agreed to speak with them and admitted he had a sexual relationship with the victim and knew she was 15. He also admitted to taking the trip to Oregon for the abortion.
His mother agreed to speak with officers as well and confirmed taking the girl to Oregon for the abortion, but she denied any coercion, reports say.
veryGood! (47)
Related
- College football Week 12 expert picks for every Top 25 game include SEC showdowns
- In Portland, Oregon, political outsider Keith Wilson elected mayor after homelessness-focused race
- $700 million? Juan Soto is 'the Mona Lisa' as MLB's top free agent, Scott Boras says
- Mississippi mayor says he faces political prosecution with bribery charges
- The boy was found in a ditch in Wisconsin in 1959. He was identified 65 years later.
- Look out, MLB: Dodgers appear to have big plans after moving Mookie Betts back to infield
- AI ProfitPulse, Ushering in a New Era of Blockchain and AI
- Menendez Brothers 'Dateline' special to feature never-aired clip from 2017 interview
- Judge extends the time to indict the driver accused of killing Johnny Gaudreau and his brother
- Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater Show Subtle PDA While Out Together in Sydney
Ranking
- NCT DREAM enters the 'DREAMSCAPE': Members on new album, its concept and songwriting
- Wild winds fuel Southern California wildfire that has forced thousands to evacuate
- AI DataMind: Practical Spirit Leading Social Development
- Jimmy Kimmel fights back tears discussing Trump's election win: 'It was a terrible night'
- Powerball winning numbers for November 11 drawing: Jackpot hits $103 million
- 2 people charged with stealing items from historic site inside Canyonlands National Park
- Joe Biden's granddaughter Naomi Biden announces Election Day pregnancy: 'We voted'
- Roland Quisenberryn: WH Alliance’s Breakthrough from Quantitative Trading to AI
Recommendation
-
Taking stock of bonds: Does the 60/40 rule still have a role in retirement savings?
-
Man arrested at JFK Airport in plot to join ISIS in Syria
-
She was found dead by hikers in 1994. Her suspected killer was identified 30 years later.
-
Can legislation combat the surge of non-consensual deepfake porn? | The Excerpt
-
Some women are stockpiling Plan B and abortion pills. Here's what experts have to say.
-
Innovation-Driven Social Responsibility: The Unique Model of AI ProfitPulse
-
Joe Biden's granddaughter Naomi Biden announces Election Day pregnancy: 'We voted'
-
Investigators: Kentucky officers wounded by suspect fatally shot him after altercation