Three of the four Caldwell High School girls accused of disrobing a fellow student during a bus trip each pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge, officials said.
Marina Pilar Brinkman, 17, Kadie Rose Hartman, 17, and Katherine Alayna Hart, 18, all pleaded guilty to a Class A misdemeanor charge of unlawful restraint, according to a news release from the Milam County District Attorney’s Office.
Sophie Goodman, 17, a fourth girl accused of the crime, was not mentioned in the news release, and no information could be located on the status of her case on court records.
When asked about the status of Goodman’s case, Milam County District Attorney’s paralegal and office manager Donelle Keen refused to elaborate on the missing information from the news release.
“I sent you the complete information, do with it what you will,” she said. “There will be no further comment.”
Keen refused to take a message for District Attorney Bill Torrey from a Telegram editor.
The girls were initially charged with indecency with a child. Those charges were later changed during indictments to enhanced unlawful restraint and engaging in criminal activity, both third-degree felonies.
The teens were immediately sentenced by Milam County Judge Steve Young to 12 months deferred adjudication with standard conditions of probation, including no contact with the victim, 40 hours of community service, and a $4,000 fine and restitution, according to the release.
Young said he handled the cases since they were sent to his misdemeanor court after a plea bargain was reached in three of the four charges.
Caldwell Independent School District Director of Communications Kim Pagach said the district completed the investigation about the incident in November and issued disciplinary action according to their student code of conduct.
“Upon receiving confirmation from the Milam County District Attorney of the outcome to the student’s charges, Caldwell ISD will reassess the disciplinary action in accordance with our Student Code of Conduct,” she said.
The charges stemmed from a Sept. 21, 2021, incident on State Highway 190 about 10 minutes up the road from downtown Cameron. The girls were on the road back to Caldwell from a volleyball game at Little River-Academy.
According to an arrest affidavit filed by the Milam County Sheriff’s Office, deputies interviewed a 14-year-old girl who told them she was held down by Brinkman and stripped down by Hart and Hartman while Goodman allegedly acted as lookout.
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