A Phoenix woman was accused of child abuse for allowing her boyfriend to sexually assault a family member, according to the allegations. The woman recently pleaded "not guilty" to these charges. According to Maricopa County prosecutors, after her plea on Monday, she is scheduled to appear again in court on May 30th. Surveillance evidence shows the Phoenix woman visiting her boyfriend's cousin's apartment with a 13-year-old female relative. This is allegedly the location that the assault occurred.
According to the 13-year-old's testimony, she was asleep or unconscious at the time of the assault, and woke up as the boyfriend was raping her. The Phoenix woman is denying that she knows the alleged rapist and is also refusing to give any information on his possible location. The woman also stated her disbelief that the event actually occurred, saying she wouldn't believe the young girl's claims until she saw DNA test evidence.
Aiding or allowing rape is a crime in and of itself. According to Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-1405, sexual conduct with a minor who is under the age of 15 will be charged as a class 2 felony. The penalty for a dangerous crime against a child in the first degree against a minor who is 12-14 years of age is minimum 13 years' imprisonment and maximum 27 years' imprisonment. In the state of Arizona, child abuse is charged as a class 1 misdemeanor (ARS § 13-3619).
In this particular case, the mother is facing a misdemeanor while the boyfriend is facing a felony sex offense against a child. Both crimes are incredibly serious and deserve serious criminal defense. If you're facing similar accusations, contact a Phoenix criminal defense lawyer from Knowles Law Firm today.