Michigan Teach on Trial for Molestation

(Cheboygan, Michigan) In May 2007, a 31-year-old former private school teacher, Deana Louise Luedtke, was arraigned for allegedly molesting a 13-year-old male student at Cornerstone Christian School. Luedtke was charged with multiple counts of third-degree and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The boy victim told police he and Luedtke had a sexual relationship between December 2002 and March 2003.

Yesterday at trial, before a jury of seven women and six men, the prosecution presented its case.

Luedtke was characterized as "beautiful, a hot woman among the guys at school" by the student, who baby-sat for Luedtke and visited the teacher's home - since his mother was friends with Luedtke - and used her hot tub.

During testimony before 53rd Circuit Court Judge Scott L. Pavlich, the alleged victim, now in basic training with the Armed Forces, described several instances of physical contact with the teacher that ranged from "kissing and a lot of rubbing" to sexual intercourse.

The man said the first occasion of alleged impropriety occurred when he was invited by a friend to attend a dance at Cheboygan Area High School and was dressed up for the occasion. He said that Luedtke came to his house to check on him at the request of his mother, who was out of town at his sister's hockey tournament. He said that he had music playing and subsequently asked her to dance. When she complied, he said they began kissing and it led to caressing and rubbing of each other's genital areas. He said that Luedtke then asked him to expose himself, and he complied. He said that Luedtke stopped him and said that she was on her menstrual period, adding that her children were out in the car.

The plaintiff told the court that on another occasion she invited him and one of his female friends to clean a cabin that she owned.

"She kept trying to kiss me and her husband came back that night and scared the holy crap out of me," he testified. "I was afraid he would find out. She kissed me in the bedroom and it didn't go any farther than that. When her husband got there, I sat next to my friend because I was so nervous about him."

However, the man said that Luedtke later took both students home, and after dropping the friend off first, the pair mutually participated in sex acts while her children slept in the back of the car.

So far, there's nothing to indicate that Luedtke suffered from an unfortunate lapse in judgment, rather it appears she engaged in a planned cascade of child-sex episodes.

The defense is expected to present its arguments today. Reportedly, attorney Mitchell H. Nelson will call Luedtke to testify.


[Update 10/22/07]

Luedtke acquitted of all charges. The jury apparently believed the boy was not completely truthful in his testimony.

"The jury was able to see that he (the plaintiff, who is now 18 years old) was not speaking the truth - it was fantasy," said defense attorney Mitchell Nelson. "I thought the key was the jury's decision on the two counts that he said took place in the car. Once you began questioning those the rest of it didn't make sense."

Heh.

[Correction: Luedtke was acquitted of four out of five charges with the jury deadlocked on the fifth.]