An 18-year-old boy from Idaho USA and his mother were arrested after police said the teenager raped a 15-year-old girl, who then crossed state lines to get an abortion without her parents’ permission.
Kadyn Swainston and his mother, Rachael Swainston, 42, face a slew of felony charges stemming from a months-long investigation. The teenager was charged with second-degree kidnapping, rape and producing child sexual exploitation material, the Idaho State Journal reported.
His mother was also charged with kidnapping, as well as trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl and psychedelic mushrooms and harboring a wanted person.
The investigation that culminated in the arrests of the mother and son last week began on June 18 when a woman contacted the Pocatello Police Department to report that her 15-year-old daughter had been raped by Kadyn and later taken to Oregon for an abortion.
However, the alleged victim claimed during a forensic interview at a child advocacy center in August that her relationship with Kadyn was consensual. She said the two began having sex when the boy was 17 and continued after he turned 18, according to the police report.
The girl said that shortly after Kadyn’s 18th birthday, she found out she was expecting a baby and was “happy” about the pregnancy.
Kadyn, however, was not happy about the prospect of becoming a father and reportedly demanded that the girl terminate the pregnancy or he would not pay alimony and divorce her.
On May 18, Rachael Swainston rented a car and traveled with Kadyn and the 15-year-old pregnant woman to a clinic in neighboring Oregon, where the young woman had an abortion. Her mother told police she did not consent to the procedure.
The incident took place just months after Idaho passed a law making it illegal for an adult to help a minor get an abortion without parental consent.
Idaho is one of 13 states that effectively bans abortion at all stages of pregnancy and is one of the few states that has laws that punish those who assist people of any age in obtaining an abortion.
It’s worth noting that neither Kadyn Swainston nor his mother have been charged under the new law.
Police obtained search warrants for Kadyn and Rachael’s phone records, which confirmed they traveled to Oregon on May 18.
The 15-year-old girl also allowed investigators to examine her phone, where they found three photos and videos showing her and Kadyn engaging in sexual acts, police said.
When questioned by investigators, Kadyn allegedly admitted he had sex with the girl when she was 18 and she was 15, then took her to Oregon to have an abortion.
Rachael also reportedly admitted to taking the 15-year-old to Oregon to have an abortion, but said both the girl and her son had agreed to it. He denied forcing the teenager to terminate her pregnancy.
Police executed a search warrant on Oct. 26 at the Swainstons’ home, where they allegedly found methamphetamine in the mother’s bedroom. They also arrested a man who lived at the family’s warehouse on an outstanding felony warrant related to trafficking in methamphetamine.
The mother and son are expected back in court for a preliminary hearing on November 7. If convicted of the main charges – trafficking meth for Rachael and rape for Kadyn – they could face up to life in prison.
Source: News Beast
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