Teacher: Flight to Mexico was boy's idea (Update to Teacher having sex with Student story)

Associated Press ^ | December 11, 2007 | Oskar Garcia

[Zakeet]

OMAHA, Neb. - A former teacher accused of having sex with a 13-year-old student said it was the boy's idea to flee to Mexico and that he told her he would kill her if she left him.

"He was pressuring me and that's why we chose to leave," Kelsey Peterson said at a pretrial hearing Monday where U.S. Magistrate Judge F.A. Gossett denied bail, saying Peterson was a flight risk.

Peterson said the boy left bruises on her arms and chest, told her what to wear and threatened her life. She said he was in a gang and had her name tattooed across his chest, and that the boy's family knew about and encouraged their relationship.

The boy's lawyers disputed Peterson's allegations and accused her attorney of lying and using Mexican stereotypes to cloud facts of the case.

"This whole case has been pulling things out of thin air and putting them forth as true," said Stu Dornan, an attorney for the boy.

The 25-year-old former teacher and the eighth-grader were found Nov. 2 in Mexicali, Mexico. Peterson pleaded not guilty Nov. 29 to charges of crossing a border to have sex with a minor.

She said she panicked before they fled to Mexico, but didn't think authorities would come after her. "I was scared to death," said Peterson, who faces federal charges that could result in 10 years to life in prison.

The boy told The Associated Press after the pair were found that he and Peterson had sex.

[org.whodat]

From prior posts when this happen there is a lot of dispute about the kids real age, some say it is more like sixteen. I imagine the government will need to provide proof of age shortly.

[Lumper20]

Afraid of a 13 year old? What is her next fantasy? I guess the parents are gang members, too. Now, she’s a victim. Amazing.

[wintertime]

Is this the wonderful “socialization” homeschoolers are missing? ( Just wondering.)

Also....If you pen kids up and treat them like prisoners, is it any wonder that the teachers sometimes act like prison guards? ( oops! Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult prison guards.)

Maybe I should rephrase that:

If you treat criminals like government school students is it any wonder that sometimes a guard will act like a teacher?

[lastchance]

Now, now Dan we must not rush to judgement. Let us have a thoughtful pause while we consider the facts of the case. Ok, ready? Now we can write GUILTY, GUILTY and DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU GUILTY. Never do an end run around justice. That is what we have courts for.

[stimpy17]

Yep, she’s going away for a while.

[#1CTYankee]

"guilty"

Needs one of these

!