Blurred image shows students in a hallway. (FOX 9)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Grooming a child for sexual conduct is about to be a felony in Minnesota after a survivor shared her story with lawmakers.
Child grooming in MN to become a felony under new bill
Big picture view:
Hannah LoPresto told her story about an Eagan band teacher who had been grooming her for four years.
She says he laid the groundwork for intimate talking and touching and eventually assaulted her on her last day of school.
What they're saying:
"He put his hands down the back of my pants and the front of my shirt. I froze and I cried," LoPresto said. "That same day, he sent me a photograph of a handwritten note saying, ‘My love for you will always exist. It will last forever.’ I graduated the next day and the sexual abuse continued into my early college years. Due to the years of grooming, I believe that I was an active participant in my abuse and that I had caused it to happen."
Rep. Peggy Bennett (R-Albert Lea) thanked Hannah "for her bravery in speaking out about her grooming experience to make a difference."
What's next:
The House voted unanimously to pass a bill making it a felony to engage in a pattern of conduct that seduces, solicits, or lures into eventual sexual activity.
The bill is also moving through the Senate and likely to become law this year.
The Source: This story uses information gathered from the Minnesota State Capitol.