Florida teen, William Scott, arrested after group sex with girl in school bathroom, 16 students ‘disciplined’
A Florida 16-year-old has been arrested in connection to an incident where several boys allegedly had sex with a single 15-year-old girl in the bathroom of South Fort Meyers High School, officials say. William Scott is facing charges for cruelty towards a child, allowing a child to engage in a sexual act, and possession of obscene material for videotaping the incident.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest, detailing the event which occurred on May 17. The encounter was allegedly videotaped and shared via social media and text.
“While it is regrettable that this incident occurred in the first place, we are always committed to holding everyone responsible for their actions,” Sheriff Mike Scott said in a statement.
The video of the incident taken inside the bathroom has circulated online and the story has garnered national attention. Footage from a hallway camera showed 25 males entering the bathroom.
The teen’s arrest comes more than a week after school officials began investigating claims a female student had sex with multiple males inside a bathroom after school.
The Florida Department of Children and Families has opened a child protection investigation in the case and sixteen students were disciplined by the school, which include five who were suspended.
Superintendent Greg Adkins wrote a letter to parents, stating near the end that they “move forward from this incident without further harsh judgment of those involved.”
Scott is a star football player for the school, rushing for almost 1,500 yards in 2015 and suited up for his new team’s spring game May 20.
Sex trafficking angle, reported by News Press.com
The family of the girl has appointed Be the Light, an advocacy group for sex trafficking victims, as a representative.
Megan Estrem, the founder of the group, did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
She stated publicly that the girl was a victim of sex trafficking and was 13 years old when she was first sold for sex. She said the girl, who is too young to legally consent, had been at the high school for two weeks when the bathroom incident happened.