A 28-year-old Florida woman stands accused of using Snapchat to groom a foster child before the sexual abuse at a group home.
According to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Katherine Sticklin worked as a youth counselor at A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay, a nonprofit organization aiming to support the foster care system with “social, educational, medical, and psychological” services in a “safe, stable, home-like environment.”
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Deputies arrested Sticklin on Friday after detectives started to investigate her on Sept. 11 over the foster home’s report that there was evidence of predatory grooming on Snapchat before the sexual abuse in the home’s shared men’s bathroom.
“The crimes committed by this woman are vile and cruel,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “She should be ashamed of taking advantage of someone she was trusted to care for and mentor. I hope he is able to begin healing knowing this woman is behind bars.”
Chronister said detectives were still investigating the case. Sticklin was facing three counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and one count of lewd or lascivious touching of a minor.