Fla. teen accused of sexual relationship with underage girl jailed until trial

VERO BEACH, Fla. — A judge on Tuesday revoked bond for Kaitlyn Hunt, a Florida teen accused of having sex with her underage girlfriend.

Circuit Court Judge Robert Pegg ordered Hunt to remain jailed until a trial, that’s so far unscheduled, and added a new charge to her court record — transmitting material harmful to a minor by electronic equipment, a third-degree felony, reported TCPalm.com.

Hunt was charged in February with two felony counts of “lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 – 16 years of age” stemming from the relationship, which turned sexual prior to Christmas 2012, according to her arrest record.

A plea deal that would have spared Hunt jail time and registration as a sex offender was withdrawn on Monday following allegations that Hunt had violated her pretrial conditions by repeatedly contacting the girl identified as the victim in her case.

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“The evidence is overwhelming,” Pegg said in ordering Hunt held in jail without bail.

Hunt turned herself in at the Indian River County Jail Monday night, on the Sheriff’s Office charge of violating a court order to have no contact with the victim, a girlfriend from Sebastian River High School.

Prosecutors allege that Hunt has had almost daily contact with the underage girl, via an iPod Hunt is alleged to have put in the girl’s locker before Hunt left Sebastian River High School. Investigators said there were 20,000 text messages.

Hunt allegedly sent some sexually explicit photos via the Internet as well, according to court records.

Prosecutors also said Hunt’s mother, Kelley Hunt Smith, had been communicating with the victim — telling her to delete the texts so no one would find out.

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Hunt’s story has received international media attention since first reported earlier this year, prompting gay rights advocates to say she is being unfairly targeted for what would be considered a common romance if she was not gay.

They have argued that older high schoolers dating their younger counterparts is an innocuous, everyday occurrence that is not prosecuted – regardless of sexual orientation – and not a crime on par with predatory sex offenses.

An arraignment on the new charge has been set for Sept. 23, at which time Hunt will be expected to enter a plea.