OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) —
- A 15-year-old Westside High student is accused of raping a 14-year-old schoolmate during the school day on Dec. 1.
- He is charged with first-degree sexual assault. Another 15-year-old student is charged in juvenile court as an accessory.
- Video shows alleged victim's account from protection order request.
- The director of UNO's Juvenile Justice System says deciding whether to charge a minor as an adult is a complicated decision that involves 15 factors to consider under Nebraska state law.
BROADCAST SCRIPT:
One teen allegedly raped a fellow student at Westside High during the school day last Friday.
Another is charged as an accessory.
The prosecutor's office says the 15 year old charged with first degree sexual assault is charged as an adult and will be here at Douglas County Court on Friday morning.
A warning: I'm about to share the details of what the 14-year-old alleged victim told authorities happened to her.
These details are included in a handwritten request for protective orders against two schoolmates.
She writes, quote, "he texted me told me to meet him by the pool and he was with his cousin and i thought it was just going to be a normal hangout." End quote.
Her statement describes the alleged attack. She says she was in a corner when one of the boys came up to her, forced her to the floor, and raped her.
She writes that the other, who is also 15, quote, "was just sitting there and watching and not helping." End quote.
She made the report immediately after the incident.
Hobbs: "We've got to find a way as a society to, to prevent this kind of harm from happening because it's irreversible, you know."
Now, each boy is facing charges. One as an adult the other as a juvenile."
Anne Hobbs, the director of UNO's Juvenile Justice Institute, says the decision of whether to charge a minor an adult is a complicated one involving 15 factors under Nebraska state law.
Hobbs: "As an outsider, you really can't say because the prosecutors can have access to things ... none of us know. Has this juvenile had problems with the law before?"
The police report indicates video was reviewed at the school.
Westside said in a statement the school resource officer immediately assisted. The district says safety measures include video surveillance, hallway monitors and security staff... And it continually assesses its security measures.
Westside says the counseling team is available to support students.
WESTSIDE STATEMENTS:
On Friday, December 1, a student reported a sexual assault to our administrative team at WHS. In following school protocol, our School Resource Officer immediately assisted with this report.
The Omaha Police Department has informed us that after their investigation criminal charges were filed.
Know that our student handbook, District Board policies, and applicable laws will be observed, and the safety of our students will remain our top priority. Due to the sensitive nature and to protect student privacy, this is all the information we can provide at this time.
Should your student like to speak to a counselor, please know that our counseling team is available to support them.
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Ensuring safety throughout Westside Community Schools is critical, as it directly impacts the well-being and overall development of students and staff. A safe and secure environment is conducive to effective learning, social development, and emotional well-being. Westside Community Schools proactively underwent a safety audit, the most recent of which was completed in November 2023.
Some of the many security measures deployed throughout WHS include: controlled access to our buildings; digital check-in/check-out for students; daily attendance for each mod; video surveillance; alarmed doors; hallway monitors and security staff; and call buttons in every classroom. We are continually assessing and updating our security measures and will continue to do so in order to keep our students, staff and visitors to our buildings safe.
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