LA HABRA, Calif. – A high school psychologist in California was arrested last week and charged with statutory rape. Kristen Boyle, 35, is accused of having sex with a student inside a classroom at La Habra High School, according to officials. The alleged incident occurred in April 2018.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office opened an investigation following a report of an “inappropriate sexual relationship” between Boyle and a student on the school’s campus, authorities said in a press release.
“Mental health professionals wield a tremendous amount of influence over their patients,” District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. “This betrayal of trust is even more egregious because she used her position to gain her victim’s trust and then exploited the therapist/patient relationship to prey on one of the very students she was entrusted with helping.”
Boyle was arrested on Sept. 20 and has been charged with one felony count of statutory rape. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison. The district attorney’s office did not release the age of the student involved. This betrayal of trust is a serious offense, highlighting the importance of ethical conduct for professionals in positions of authority, especially those working with vulnerable individuals.
MICHIGAN STATE POLICE ARREST CELEBRATED DEMOCRATIC OFFICIAL ON SIX FELONY CHARGES OF ELECTION FRAUD
School campus safety and the well-being of students are paramount concerns for educational institutions and law enforcement agencies alike. Incidents such as these underscore the need for vigilance and robust oversight to protect students from harm.