Thursday, January 18, 2001
Wisconsin Woman Cited for Not Stopping Son from Having Sex
A Baraboo, Wis., woman could face up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine because prosecutors say that the fact that she bought her 13-year-old son condoms after learning he was having sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend constituted a failure to "prevent her child from being sexually abused," the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Lawyers have until February to file briefs with Saulk County Judge Guy Reynolds, and a court date will then be determined if the case is not thrown out. The case was brought to the attention of the police last May when the 13-year-old boy told an officer he was concerned that he might have a sexually transmitted disease. He said that his mother knew he was sexually active and had even bought him condoms, warning him to "make sure it doesn't break" during sex. The district attorney's office declined to comment, but Derek Horkan, attorney for the woman, argued that "talking to your child about sex is constitutionally protected speech that can't be restricted by state laws." He added that he had not found a similar case that had made it to trial in Wisconsin (Durhams, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/17).