The difference between a shortened premise and the actual story

This next story is, I believe, a perfect example of how different people reading in between the lines (or trying to, anyway) cal lead to such conflicting conclusions about what actually happened – along with being a perfect example of why reports truly need to contain more information these days if people are to make deductions with any resemblance to what actually happened.

For example: here, we have a story of a special education teacher in Plano, Texas whose been arrested and charged with "sexual assault" regarding a 14-year-old boy. Apparently, she deliberately got the kid drunk, and then jumped him into having sex with her multiple times in her own home.

Horrified? We'll see. Read the rest of the story and read between the lines:

A Plano special education teacher has been arrested on a charge of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy after she allegedly got him drunk and had sex with him several times at her home.

The teacher, Mariane Kieffer, 39, also faces a charge of an improper relationship between an educator and student. She said Monday afternoon that she couldn't say anything about the case. "I wish I could comment, but I cannot," she said.

[...]

The alleged victim, who said he attended Carpenter, told Plano police last week that he started going to Kieffer's house around last February, according to a probable cause affidavit. A month later, he said, Kieffer asked to have sex after they got drunk drinking Crown Royal in her son's bedroom.

Until June, the boy said Kieffer occasionally drove him to her house after school and had sex between five and 10 times, the affidavit states.

By far what jumps out the most to my eyes is how little evidence or information the report actually holds. For starters: so Mariane brought the kid to her home and they got drunk. What was the motive here, what were her true intentions? Yes, at the surface, that does sound like she's getting him all nice and manipulatable to try and coerce him into having sex with her. But the report fails to state if that's actually the case. Maybe – just maybe – they just "hung out" and had a drink together. Somehow, I don't see how a regular kid that age would pass up an opportunity to have a casual beer or two with a teacher if that's all there was to it. But again, the report doesn't say for certain.

Second, you'll notice the story completely neglects to mention the kid-in-question's ordeal, testimonial or thoughts about what happened. Is he too traumatized to mention it? Or perhaps he's being tightly muzzled, presumably to prevent him from coming to Mariane's defense (which is always possible)? Most likely though, the report simply omits to state the facts and the kid's perception of the events – which, ironically enough, is the one thing that can literally "make or break" this case. If the kid was favorable to what was going on, as in this similar story, then I personally have no qualms against anything here. But if the kid was indeed abused and even raped ... perception changes. Alot.

Third: this has reportedly happened over the course of four months (between February and June), and they've had sex "between five and 10 times". If this was indeed rape and abuse, don't you think this kid, even if Mariane had bullied him into keeping his silence, would have indicated, either verbally or through body language or mannerisms, that something was going on? For one thing, had he truly been assaulted and borderline raped, there would've been a change, however large or small, in his behavior, which any parents fit to be parents would've easily noticed, and talked to him about, which would've led to doubts, and so on. Perhaps I'm just being naive (and you're welcome to lambast me for being so in the comments if you believe that's the case), but I for one do believe no kid – or person in general – can undergo something as horrible and traumatizing as rape, and not show the slightest sign, however minute. And if the parents gave the slightest damn for their kid's welfare and actually were attentive to him and his needs, they would be the best people in the world to pick up on the fact that, for some reason, their child wasn't smiling anymore. Or was more secretive. Or was prone to reacting irrationally to random events or occurrences.

Rick McDonald, public information officer for the Plano Police Department said the investigation was ongoing.

"We're going to determine if there are any other victims out there before we release any information," he said.

Interesting how those prosecutors are always keen on calling kids who have sex with adults, regardless of their consent, "victims". If the kid was molested or sexually assaulted against his will, then indeed, he's a victim. But if he enjoyed it and was agreeable to it going on, then he'd be less of a victim, and more like a victor in his mind (and the minds of his friends), methinks. But – again, the report doesn't state all the facts, so we cannot know.

So, what are your views on this? Personally, I'm as-of-yet classifying this under the header of "I can't tell for sure, so I'd rather not make judgment just yet until I have ALL the facts", as I always try to do. You?

Note – This is a slightly edited version of my original post, in which I'm afraid I gave off quite the wrong impression of my thoughts regarding the story. I've also deleted the previous comments this post had received; not to piss anyone off or anything, but just as to not influence any new readers into thinking along any specific lines. Anyone who commented is certainly welcome to comment again. No foul intended.