A teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year- old boy was released from jail Tuesday after posting $5,000 bail.
Greco Middle School teacher Debra Beasley Lafave made her first appearance in court Tuesday morning. She is charged with two counts of committing lewd and lascivious battery on a person younger than 16.
Police records state that Lafave, 23, performed oral sex on the victim and in a separate incident had sexual intercourse with the boy in a portable classroom at Greco.
The judge reduced her bail from $15,000 to $5,000. Outside the courtroom, her attorney, Fred Vollrath, noted that she had no criminal history and has ties to the community.
Lafave is a lifelong resident of the Tampa area, having graduated from Bloomingdale High in Valrico and the University of South Florida. Her father is a retired employee of Tampa Electric Co.; her husband is a loan officer at a local bank.
The judge ordered Lafave to stay away from the boy, who is a resident of Temple Terrace. Lafave did not return phone calls Tuesday.
Investigators aren't commenting on the details of the case, but a witness was named in court.
Witness testimony could prove important in a case such as this, said Al Danna, a special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Danna is not involved with the Lafave case but has worked with crimes against children for more than 20 years.
He said witnesses can be key in these type of cases.
``The best witness is obviously one who was there at the time of the crime,'' he said. ``But even if a witness can testify about the nature of the relationship between the adult and the child, it can help. The witness may have seen them alone together or behind closed doors for a specific amount of time.''
Danna said details from the victim also are crucial in making a case.
``Maybe the child can identify body parts only seen if the adult was naked,'' he said. ``Identifying scars or other marks can strengthen a case.''
A child's knowledge of other private matters also can be relevant in the case, Danna said.
``If a child was taken to the adult's house and can describe the bedroom, that can raise the question: `What was the child doing in the adult's bedroom?' '' he said.
Danna said that because the case involves a woman and a boy, it could make the case more difficult for prosecutors.
``First of all, just getting boys to come forward is tougher,'' he said. ``They are often more reluctant because their friends give them a hard time for reporting it.''
Danna said a double standard also could affect a jury.
``If an older man has sex with a young girl, people call him a sicko and want him put away,'' he said. ``Some people still believe if a young boy, especially a teenage boy, has sex with an older woman, it's a learning experience. It ultimately comes down to a jury, and, unfortunately, the double standard can make a difference.''
Meanwhile, many of the students at Greco, where Lafave taught for two years, were surprised by the news.
``She is so nice, and everyone really likes her,'' said Kyle Fleming, a 13-year-old Greco student who encountered the teacher on a recent field trip. Fleming is the son of a Media General employee, the company that owns The Tampa Tribune. ``It seems so odd. I don't think anyone would ever think she would do that.''
Although the school board met Tuesday, it did not discuss Lafave's case. She remains on administrative duty. The board is expected to vote to suspend her without pay at its July 13 board meeting, which is standard procedure when a teacher is charged with a felony.
If Lafave is convicted, each charge could bring up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, according to Florida statutes.
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