Columbus, October 10: Payton Shires, a 24-year-old social worker in Columbus, Ohio, in the US, is facing charges of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor after allegedly engaging in sexual activity with a 13-year-old boy she was counselling. According to multiple reports, Shires, who had obtained her social worker license in June and was employed by the National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP), was arrested.

The troubling case came to light when the boy's mother discovered suspicious text messages on her son's cellphone exchanged with Shires. Disturbed by the messages, the mother contacted the police on September 27, triggering an investigation into the matter. Investigators subsequently found a video on the teen's phone showing sexual acts between Shires and the minor. The teen admitted to having sex with Shires on multiple occasions in different locations in Columbus throughout September. US Shocker: Indian-American Pleads Guilty to Sex-Related Crimes, Admits Sending Child Porn to 30 Online Communities.

In a pivotal development, a three-way phone call was conducted between Shires, the teen's mother, and detectives. During this call, Shires confessed to her sexual involvement with the minor. She was subsequently taken into custody. Shires, who had obtained her social worker license in June, appeared in the Franklin County Municipal Court, where a judge set her bond at USD 500,000. Her next court appearance is scheduled for October 16. US: Youth Accused of Sex Assault on 14-Year-Old, Promoting Child Pornography Arrested in Texas.

The National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP), the organisation Shires previously worked for, has cooperated with law enforcement in the investigation. The case continues to be investigated, and additional charges may be filed against Shires as the inquiry progresses. The Columbus Division of Police Exploited Children/PACT Unit, along with the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, handled the investigation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 10, 2023 08:37 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).