[Editor’s Note: The story has been updated to clarify the charged student did not attend prom based on new information from Hudson City Schools. ]
HUDSON, Ohio (WJW) – An 18-year-old Hudson High School senior has been indicted on multiple serious felony charges involving a 9-year-old child.
Students and parents in the district are just learning about the investigation, but according to court records, the alleged crimes took place on or around December 2, 2023.
The teen was indicted on February 7, 2024 in Summit County Common Pleas Court on charges of rape, kidnapping, and gross sexual imposition.
He was in court Tuesday for his second pre-trial, but most of his classmates and their parents told FOX 8 News they had no idea.
“When I first got the text from my mom, I was at school and like, oh my gosh, I felt sick,” said a female senior and classmate who asked not to be identified.
They’re upset because they say the young male has continued attending classes this entire time without anyone knowing about the alleged and serious crimes.
He’s also competed in sporting events and could be at graduation on May 23.
“I don’t think that’s appropriate,” said the classmate. “Because I’ve known people who’ve done smaller things and gotten in way more trouble and weren’t allowed to do sports but he, allegedly at least, he’s done this horrific thing to a 9-year-old and allowed to do all this other stuff.”
School officials tell FOX 8, that while a judge said the student could have attended prom and after-promo, he did not.
The school district released the following statement to FOX 8:
“Hudson City Schools is aware that one of our high school students is part of a police investigation involving an alleged sexual assault. While we are not permitted to discuss specifics of the case, we do want to be clear that this alleged incident did not occur on school property and did not involve another Hudson City School District student. This is a legal issue with the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office and the Summit County Court System. Supportive and protective measures have been in place to keep all students safe since the issue was first brought to the district’s attention.
“We understand there are questions; however, the district is extremely limited in what information can be released, per the law and student privacy policies. Please know the well-being and safety of all of our students remains our top priority.”
Multiple students and parents told FOX 8 off the record that they were upset and have serious concerns about this and how it was handled.
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Additionally, an online petition was started demanding the student be suspended until after the criminal trial and that he not attend graduation.
“They don’t think it’s fair that at graduation all the focus is going to be essentially on him, while they’re supposed to be enjoying and celebrating graduation” said one mom.
“That’s just like a heinous thing and even if it is alleged and maybe he didn’t actually do it, it’s like, I don’t know if I could be around that,” said her daughter, who is graduating with him.
The student has another pretrial scheduled for July and the case goes to trial on August 7.
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