A Pennsylvania high school field hockey coach, Alicia Colon, has admitted that she knowingly covered up the rape of one her students because she didn’t want to lose her job.
CNN obtained court documents that indicates a 16-year-old Kutztown area high school girl had been granted permission to attend “girls night” at a Best Western near Harrisburg with Colon and two other teen girls.
Investigators reported the 25-year-old coach brought three men to the hotel room, who the girls claimed smoked marijuana and took ecstasy. The 16-year-old stated that she felt uncomfortable and said she was forced to sleep on the floor because Colon and one of the men were “carrying on.”
The teen claimed that at some point during the evening, she woke up to discover one of the men, Rafael Gomez-Echavarria, was kissing her. She said she had to tell him to stop at least five times before he eventually complied.
She woke up again approximately two hours later and found that Gomez-Echavarria was touching her “private areas.” She said he forced her to have sexual intercourse, but she said she chose not to scream, for fear he could hurt her.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Gomez-Echavarria told the victim that the rape was “our little secret” and then went to sleep. The girl sent a text message to her coach sleeping on the bed next to her, but Colon did not see the message until the next morning.
A police report said that Colon advised the girl to “forget about the rape and it will go away.”
The teen finally admitted the alleged assault to her mother and an official report was filed with the Lower Swatara Township Police Department on Oct. 27. Coach Colon was interviewed on November 7 and she denied her attempt to cover up the rape. After police informed her they had the text message sent from the teen, she admitted that she feared losing her job.
“Alicia tried to cover up the rape in fear of losing her job,” Detective Ryan Gartland explained in the affidavit. “We confirmed this through text and Facebook messages.”
Colon and Gomez-Echavarria were both charged on Nov. 27 with multiple felonies and misdemeanors in district court. Colon’s charges included hindering apprehension, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors. Colon is expected to turn herself in later this week.
Gomez-Echavarria also faces charges including forcible rape, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and unlawful contact with a minor.
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Kimberley A. Johnson (BIO) is the author of The Virgin Diaries and an activist for women’s rights. Like her on Facebook, Twitter or follow her on FB HERE. |
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