A 28-year-old behavioral therapist on Monday was found guilty of sexually assaulting the 13-year-old autistic boy she was working with following a 10-day trial,
Abigail Minjung Kim, standing beside her defense lawyer, looked straight ahead and showed little emotion as the verdict was read and each of the jurors were polled. The verdict was unanimous.
Kim had an “inappropriate, intentional, voluntary relationship’’ with the boy, who is on the autism spectrum and suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, prosecutor Melissa Marrero said during closing arguments.
The sexual abuse occurred in October and November 2017 when he was barely 13 during Kim’s visits to his home when she worked for Footprints Behavioral Intervention. They often met in his room, behind closed doors, according to the prosecutor.
The boy testified before a grand jury, telling jurors he had “humped’’ Kim multiple times, that they hugged and kissed and became boyfriend and girlfriend. He testified that on their last day together they had sex. He also told grand jurors that Kim never told him to stop and never pushed him off, the prosecutor said.
Internet searches that investigators found on Kim’s cellphone corroborated the boy’s testimony, the prosecutor argued.
Her cellphone revealed web searches for “15 years younger boyfriend’’ when Kim was 28 and the boy was 13. Other searches included: “How to deal with an autistic boyfriend, ‘’ “Can a teenage boy become attached to the girl he lost his virginity to?,’’ “Can a minor be charged with sexual harassment, “ “legal proof of child sexual abuse in the absence of physical evidence’’ and “sexy women’s panties,’’ according to the prosecutor.
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Behavioral therapist, 28, found guilty of raping, sexually abusing 13-year-old autistic boy in her care
Abigail Minjung Kim had an “inappropriate, intentional, voluntary relationship’’ with the boy, who is on the autism spectrum and suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Prosecutor Melissa Marrero said during closing arguments
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