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Teen convicted of sexual assault to remain in custody pending evaluation

Posted at 7:22 PM, Dec 04, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-04 19:22:13-05

A 15-year-old who pled guilty to assaulting three teens ages 13-14 will stay at the Monroe Youth Center until a psychiatric evaluation is complete and a safety plan for his victims is in place.

In a Monday review hearing for the teen at Howell’s Judicial Center, a referee judge said the teen will stay past his 45-day sentence until the items are complete.

The teen faced 31 felonies stemming from multiple sexual assault incidents, but pled guilty to 6 charges in return for a 15 month sexual offender treatment program sentence.

But in a deposition hearing, referee Chelsea Thomason threw out the plea agreement in favor of a 45 day sentence in a juvenile detention center.

In court Monday, the teen’s lawyer told Thomason his client has done “everything that has been asked.”

Assistant Livingston County Prosecutor Marilyn Bradford said in court that the teen’s education needs to be addressed.
“No one wants the juvenile sitting next to their girls in algebra class,” said Bradford.

Thomason said the court will adopt a probation officer’s recommendations that the teen not be allowed on Brighton School grounds or any event sanctioned by the school.  Some of the victims attend school in the district as did the teen.
The same restrictions apply for Kensington Woods Schools where another victim now attends.

A psychiatric examination for the teen was delayed when a party responsible for the evaluation had a car accident last week. It is rescheduled for next week. The results of that exam will likely dictate a safety plan for the teens.

Parents of the victim’s who were at Monday’s hearing do not believe justice has been done.

“Justice looked like the plea agreement,” said Ashley Duva. “We didn’t want him to get nailed to the wall we didn’t want him to go to prison for years we wanted him to get help. The fact that he got 45 days. Thats not justice. Not for anyone.”