Former Lake Orion HS teacher accused of sex with student faces judge for first time
LAKE ORION, Mich. (FOX 2) - Former Lake Orion High School teacher Kathleen 'Kate' Boozer was in court Friday for her arraignment on charges that she sexually assaulted her then 16-year-old student, Ryan Crue, who told his story in late December.
Boozer was arraigned in court on four charges after Crue said his story was heard and investigated by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
According to Crue, he had a sexual relationship with his former Spanish teacher in 2014 when he was 16 and she was 28.
Crue spoke at length in December to FOX 2 about the relationship, saying that he tried to hide until the memories eventually consumed him.
"I have some pretty good ones and I have some that are pretty haunting," Crue said.
Crue's life gradually began to morph from picture-perfect to dark and depressing. The downward spiral started in his junior year, the fall of 2014.
The catalyst to his darkest days, he says, was Boozer, a young, popular, and attractive teacher.
"It was after school - one of the first times that there was any physical interaction that was incredibly inappropriate," he said.
He said they had some form of sexual intercourse multiple times, sometimes in her own classroom at school.
"We made a chore out of getting big sheets of black construction paper and covering every window in the classroom including even the small notch window in the door so there was no way to see in the classroom," he said.
Nancy Hatalsky, his mother and also an educator, went to Lake Orion administrators with her concerns about the relationship, before she even realized it was sexual. The district said they investigated and contacted the Oakland County Sheriff's Department. However, undersheriff Mike McCabe said in December that they weren't notified until 2019.
"The statute says they need to call us. We are the ones, law enforcement determines whether it's credible or not," he said.
The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office continued to look into the case but chose not to pursue charges.
In December, after our story aired and the current administration reviewed the case again, charges were filed.
"I know that that new administration is they advocate for victims of sexual abuse and assault, and I think that really turned the corner for us," said Hatalsky.
Ryan and his family were not allowed to attend the arraignment of Boozer on Friday but will eventually be in the same courtroom. Crue said he's grateful he's able to face her.
"I'm extremely thankful and grateful I feel like a lot of people don't get to face their accuser. when all of this happened I never thought id talk about it let alone get to face her in court," said Crue.
Boozer was arraigned on four charges of 3rd-degree criminal sexual conduct and faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. She was ordered held on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond.
Kathleen 'Kate' Boozer is facing 15 years in prison after a former student said they had sexual relations several times while he was a junior in high school.