A 15-year-old boy accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old classmate at Westside High School last week was ordered to be held without bail at his first appearance in adult court Friday.
The boy is being charged as an adult with first-degree sexual assault, a felony that carries a maximum of 50 years in prison, after a student at Westside reported being forcibly raped in the stairwell last Friday. Another boy, also 15, is accused of acting as a “lookout” and has been charged in Juvenile Court with being an accessory to a felony.
At Friday’s hearing, the boy nodded without speaking as Douglas County Court Judge Grant Forsberg informed him of his rights. Though Forsberg said the boy’s young age and lack of criminal history weighed in favor of setting bail, he declined to do so, saying that “setting a bond would depreciate the seriousness” of the alleged crime.
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According to court documents and in-court testimony from prosecutors, the assault occurred around 1 p.m. Dec. 1 in a stairwell at the school. The boy is accused of backing the victim into a corner before forcing her onto the ground, pulling her pants down and raping her as she repeatedly told him to stop.
The second boy allegedly stood at the door to “see if anyone was coming to make sure they didn’t get into trouble,” according to court documents.
The girl “immediately” reported the assault to school officials, according to prosecutors, who notified police. The two boys were taken to Omaha Police Headquarters for questioning, and the alleged victim was taken to Project Harmony for an interview and a sexual assault examination.
The boy charged as an adult is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in early January. The boy charged with being an accessory will face charges in Juvenile Court. Both are currently detained at the Douglas County Youth Center.
