Idaho mother and son charged with kidnapping over out-of-state abortion

www.theguardian.com Idaho mother and son charged with kidnapping over out-of-state abortion

Rachael and Kadyn Swainston accused of taking underage girl to Oregon for abortion without her parents’ knowledge

31 comments

Title doesn’t provide context: transported a minor for an out of state abortion, son was an adult sleeping with a minor
- Worse.
  
  Apparently she was living with him, and wanted to keep the baby.
  
  He and his parents told her if she kept it or told anyone she was pregnant, that he'd break up with her and kick her out of the house.
  
  Like, this is the exact opposite of what conservatives wanted with their anti abortion law, and likely why they're not using it.
  
  Like, this is the exact opposite of what conservatives wanted with their anti abortion law, and likely why they’re not using it.
  
  I hope the Democrats pounce on this, because this is the sort of shit that was considered over emotional hand wringing when people suggested it could happen. But then again, they said the same thing about the 10yo who needed the out of state abortion, o who knows what good it will do....
  
  I've heard conservatives claim that many liberals actually want forced abortions, because it's really about eugenics and population control.
- They are two years apart, both underage. Then when he turned 18, suddenly that makes it different? She had been living with them for an extended period of time and having consensual sex while both were minors. When she became pregnant, the family didn't want her to keep the pregnancy, where the options were to either get an abortion (valid, especially for 16-18 Y/Os still wholly dependent on the parents financially and for shelter) or her going back to her family's Idaho house and having the baby. She chose the former. That's not kidnapping, that's a choice.
- Grey area. Not a large age gap and they were together while both being minors.
  
  That mom and son come across as really gross. I hope that girl gets real help.
  
  I found this at https://www.federallawyers.com/
  
  Strict Limits of Idaho’s Laws
  
  Idaho’s Romeo and Juliet laws have strict limits compared to many states. Key restrictions include:
  
  No defenses for victims under 15
  
  3 year max age gap for 16-17 year olds
  
  Defendant max age of 17 for 15 year olds
  
  Parents can still pursue charges
  
  Overall, Idaho offers relatively weak Romeo and Juliet protections compared to most other states.
- That's a little misleading, this was a 16 year old who was living with her 18 year old boyfriend and his mom. Obviously having an abortion was the only remotely sensible thing to do rather than bringing a baby into that household.
  
  Sensible, but it turns out teenagers aren't sensible, and they threatened her into getting it done.
  
  They belong in prison.
- She had been in a consensual sexual relationship with Kadyn Swainston since she was 15 and he was 17, and the relationship continued after he turned 18, the girl told police.
  
  So?
There's a lot more to unpack here that isn't in the headline. The whole situation is fucked up.
- If you have not been to Idaho, just know this insane shit is common. It's the Alabama of the west.
  
  No that's Utah. Idaho is the Mississippi of the West.
America failing it's people is the standard
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- Was "supposed" to be. Obviously parents didn't care. Likely kicked the girl out, and now that there's a shot of them getting something out of this case, they are all hands on deck.
  
  Poor girl. Gross boyfriend and mom. Terrible parents (girl).
  
  Is it really that gross? Two people in a relationship are financially dependent on the BF's single mom. Both are having consensual sex. They have an accident (understandable) and are partially liable (also understandable), and they offer to drive her an entire state away and pay for the abortion because Idaho is a shithole state. Or she can carry to term and be financially dependent on her own family.
  
  If she gives birth and they had decided to keep it, that's two young adults with a highschool education at best, financially dependent on a single mom in Idaho, now with a third mouth to feed, all on one income. Neither will be able to go to college or save money. The mom will expend everything she's saved to care for three people, and they will be trapped in a loop of poverty.
  
  However, she accepts the abortion and they drive her all the way to Oregon to get help. Then, they get charged in Idaho for the aforementioned reason (shithole state).
  
  It's a recurring theme in Idaho, read Educated if you want a depressing but gripping read on the issues of poverty and education and a lack of social safety nets that Idaho has.
  
  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educated_(book)
  
  During the pandemic, Idaho's lack of care overtaxed their healthcare system so badly that they had to ship their sick to other states for treatment. This deferred critical medical care for residents of those other states because so many Idaho residents in their hospitals were at risk of dying.
  
  Can’t really say without knowing more, but as horrible as this is, I wonder if this outcome is better than the alternatives. The child would probably have had a deadbeat dad. It doesn’t sound like she would have been able to rely on much support from her parents. Plus, if not for the pregnancy, the girl might have ended up marrying that asshole, and been saddled with in-laws who have no respect for her.
  
  It’s still a tragic situation, but at least now she’s wiser, and hopefully has a better chance at a decent life.
  
  Well, it is Idaho and the population wants to follow all the Republican talking points until it isn't convenient.
  
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I don't know what the right charges are in this situation. Maybe kidnapping is the best they could do, but it certainly sounds like some sort of charges were justified. They coerced her into getting an abortion against her will by threatening to abandon her and kick her out of the house she was living in if she continued the pregnancy.
Holyshit, what a clusterfuck. This actually sounds about right, here.

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