Woman Busted After Delivering Teen's Child
Crystal Smith of Aberdeen, Ohio, faces a third-degree felony charge.
Nov. 15, 2007 — -- A woman in Brown County, Ohio, faces possible jail time after a sheriff's investigation revealed that she had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old that resulted in the birth of a child last March.
Crystal Smith, now 30, confessed to Brown County sheriff's officers that she had a sexual encounter in June 2006 with the teen, Chief Deputy John Schadle told ABC News.
A social services case worker triggered the investigation after contacting the sheriff's office with information about the relationship. The sheriff's office investigated and ultimately Smith admitted to the affair with the local teen.
In March 2007, Smith gave birth to twins, Schadle said, one of whom died at birth.
"She's already admitted and my understanding is the juvenile admitted," Schadle said.
Smith was arrested Nov. 9 and charged with unlawful conduct with a minor, a third-degree felony in Ohio. If convicted, she could face up to five years in prison. She was released Nov. 11 after posting a $5,000 bond and will be back in court Nov. 26.
The woman, who has been married to the same man for 12 years, according to Schadle, has between four and six children, he said, none of whom were fathered by her husband.
DNA testing is under way to determine for sure that the child was fathered by the teen victim.
The phone at Smith's mobile home has been disconnected, but the woman's neighbors told ABC News' Ohio affiliate WCPO that they were not surprised by the charges against the woman. Many said that they frequently saw male teenagers hanging around Smith's mobile home and that over the summer, social service workers removed all of her children from the home.
"We've seen a little more of this kind of thing nationally," Schadle said, citing a similar story that captured national attention over the last two weeks, which involved 25-year-old teacher Kelsey Peterson and her former middle school student.
The two allegedly were in a consensual relationship and fled from Nebraska to Mexico, where they were ultimately detained by Mexican authorities.
