Pick of the news

As the schoolgirl, 15, is found – we ask is this the end of the story?

The pupil, 15 and the teacher she ran off with Jeremy Forrest, 30 have been found. Naturally her frantic parents are thrilled and are quoted in many papers saying they cannot wait to be reunited. Meanwhile, Mr Forrest could face charges under child abduction. The girl’s parents will surely hope that now home this will be the end of her ‘relationship’ with Mr Forrest. But, as it’s reported the pair were not planning to return when they were found, is this the end…? Pick of the news

In 30 years of journalism. I’ve covered all sorts of ‘unusual relationship’ stories but the most fascinating that springs to mind is the case of a former school teacher Mary Kay Letourneau who had an affair with her 13 year old pupil – but has now married him and the couple have two children.

Already a mum to two boys and two girls, Letourneau, 35, was a strict catholic, and living in Seattle with her good-looking husband Stephen, when she embarked on her illegal love affair.

The couple first met when Letourneau taught the boy aged eight and even then she confesses she was ‘hauntingly drawn’ to the child.

“There was a bond between us that was instantaneous ,” she explains. “There was a respect, an insight, a spirit, an understanding that grew over time.”

Then, in the summer of 1996 the boy, Vili Fualaau, showed his affection for his teacher by spending his pocket money on a silver ring.

“He pushed the ring on her finger and they stared at eachother for what he described as ‘an eternity’,” says one police insider. “That was when he knew his feelings were sexual.”

Before long the couple were enjoying regular sex and within a few months, when Vili was aged just 12, LeTourneau became pregnant.

Husband Steve, who had not made love with his wife for some months, became suspicious when his wife began showing early signs of pregnancy… then he found some love letters.

“I felt sick,” he remembers. “I went straight round to the boy’s house and asked ‘are you sleeping with my wife?’. When he nodded my world fell apart.”

Mr LeTourneau confided in relatives, told school officials and Letourneau pleaded guilty to second degree child-rape and was jailed for six months. In 1997 she gave birth to a little girl, Audrey while out on probation.

However, when she was released on probation under the conditions that she would not see her young lover and would get counselling, she ran straight back into the arms of the boy and Police discovered the pair together at 3am in a parked car with steamed up windows.

Reports claim she was planning to run way with the boy and their baby – cash, baby clothes and her passport were found in the car – going into hiding until he was old enough to marry. But having violated her probation, a Seattle court then jailed her for 71/2 years.

Incredibly, she found she was expecting another baby and in 1998 while serving time, she gave birth to a second little girl, Georgia Alexis.

But in November 1999 Mary Kay was placed in six months’ solitary confinement after letters she tried to send to Vili were intercepted.

Mary Kay, then aged 42, was not released from prison until 2004 but by then Vili, then aged 21, had filed to get the court order of no contact between them reversed. The pair, at last reunited, wasted no time in getting married – and in May 2005, having become a media sensation – exclusive access to the wedding was granted to a TV show reportedly selling for a six figure sum.

The couple’s affair scandalised America. Mary Kay Letourneau’s family and friends were stunned by her actions. After all, she was seen as the typical ‘all American girl’.

During an interview Vili said: “I’m not a victim. I’m not ashamed of being a father. I’m not ashamed of being in love with Mary Kay.”

Meanwhile Mary Kay is quoted as saying: “He dominated me in the most masculine way that any man, any leader, could do. I trusted him and believed in him and in our future.”

The couple have since gone on to have a book published and most recently their story was turned into a movie – That’s My Boy. Both daughters live with them and while Vili works as a DJ, Mary Kay is a paralegal.

Read More: The story of Mary Kay Letourneau – Wikipedia

Alison Smith-Squire

Alison Smith-Squire is a writer, journalist and media agent selling exclusive real life stories to newspapers, magazines and TV. She owns the sell my story website Featureworld.co.uk, which was set up to help ordinary people sell their stories to the press.

One thought to “As the schoolgirl, 15, is found – we ask is this the end of the story?”

  1. Since writing this post, Featureworld received this anonymous comment:

    This shouldn’t be the end. Not only do I believe that it’s not right for news presenters and readers to be saying ‘she ”thought” she loved her 30-year-old maths teacher’. It’s mocking her feelings. Only Megan will know what she thought. And that brings me to the next point, these news readers, detectives and journalists think they know how she felt and what made her leave with her maths teacher. The truth is, once again, only she will ever know how she felt and how she still feels. She is fifteen, old enough to make a choice, and I understand it may not be the choice she would have made if she was five years older, but I know that she as every other teenager was thinking ”why not?”I am the same age as Megan and perhaps it’s you ”adults” that need to listen to us for a change when we tell you we know better. If I was ever to meet Megan, if I was ever so fortunate to be able to tell her I, myself, knows how she must have felt and still do. No I’ve never ran away with my maths teacher, but that does not mean that running away has never crossed my mind. It was heart-breaking to watch not only Megan’s parents but alson Jeremy’s parents plea for them to return home but it was what Megan wanted.”She went willingly” All I ask for you is to realise Megan isn’t the only one that wanted something she ”never had”. But she was the only one that did something she ”never did”. My wishes are that somehow, Jeremy and Megan will continue to see each-other if that is what they would want. We are all human, some older than others but it shouldnt be against ”the law”. I would proudly shake Megans hand and tell her how inspirational she has been.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.