[From The Rider print editon]

Sarah Smith* fell asleep clutching her white teddy bear. With her phone a couple inches from her head, she never thought any one would find the secret inside.

It was just a picture. An innocent photo taken a few minutes after arriving home from her double date. But the next morning proved her actions were less than harmless.

On March 28, 2009 Sarah went to see The Haunting in Connecticut at the Movie Tavern with her boyfriend, Owen*, and two of his friends. Over a plate of quesadillas and French fries, the couple sat in the dim-lighted movie theater as the horror film flickered on the screen. Taking a sip of her Dr. Pepper, Sarah moved a little closer to her date as the eerie music intensified. He smiled when the scary parts made her jump. The scary parts made her move closer as she tightened her grasp around his hand.

After the kiss goodnight the evening would have ended, but Sarah’s cell phone remained in her hand. They sent flirty texts back and forth. They joked about things they could do, but Sarah’s actions did not stop there. She locked her door and took a picture. A picture her mother would find while Sarah was sleeping.

“It was the one time my mom came in my room in the middle of the night,” Sarah said. “I feel stupid for doing it and not deleting it.”

Sarah woke up at 6:30 a.m., an unusual hour for a Saturday morning. She drowsily reached for her phone, but she couldn’t find it. Like an extension of her body her phone was always by her side.

After ransacking her room, she knew her phone was not there. Sarah slipped into her mother’s room unnoticed, looking for some sign of what had happened. Then she saw it. Her mother’s phone unattended. She searched through the text and found a message sent to her father, “… I think we’ve got a problem.”

Sarah hid in her room for hours, afraid of the consequences living outside her wall. She never thought a picture, only meant for her boyfriend’s eyes, would come into her parent’s possession.

During the intervention, her parents came in her room and told her what they had found. Her father took a more laid back approach to the issue. As a regular Radio Talk listener he was aware of sexting and its’ affect on teens. Though Mrs. Smith remained angry for what would become months, she agreed they must confront Owen and his parents.

Sarah sat in the living room of her boyfriend’s home. It was the first time she had met his mother and she couldn’t stop crying. Owen stayed asleep in bed, unaware his girlfriend was even in his house.

Over Sarah’s sobs and his wife’s anger, Mr. Smith tried to lighten the mood. “It appears we have a little problem…” he started.

“I couldn’t laugh because I was in such a bad mood,” Sarah said. “I was so distraught.”

When Sarah didn’t answer his texts, Owen started texting Mrs. Smith asking what was going on and if Sarah was okay. Sarah suspects Owen warned his parents before the meeting because of their reaction.

“His parents were shocked,” Sarah said, “but they kind of had a ‘boys will be boys’ mentality.”

After confronting Owen’s parents, Mr. Smith needed to figure out the legal matters involved. The family took a trip to the Mansfield Police Department where they met Officer Polley.

Sarah sat down in a chair across from the police officer. A six inch thick law book lay between them.

“Why did you do it?” Officer Polley asked.

“I don’t know,” Sarah said.

“You’re parents trusted you enough to give you a phone,” he said, “and you disrespected that.”

As a family man, Officer Polley told her his personal perspective on the matter and how he would feel if his daughters were to participate in such an act.

During their visit, the family found out what would happen if Owen distributed the picture. Sarah’s parents were worried their daughter’s reputation would be ruined by one senseless act.

“I think sexting shouldn’t be done,” Sarah said. “It really can change your life if it gets into the wrong hands.”

If a minor decides to take a picture of themselves in an inappropriate way they could be charged with possession and production of child pornography. If they send the photo the charges then include distribution of child pornography and they person who receives the photo could then be charged with possession.

After Owen woke up and talked to his parents, he sent Sarah’s mother a seven page text message apology. Despite his efforts, the couple was forced to break up and Sarah was grounded for the rest of the school year.

“It was always more my idea to do stuff then him,” Sarah said. “I wasn’t worried about getting in trouble that much.”

After hearing about the growing popularity of sexting Teen Leadership teacher, Dena Schimming, decided to show her class a clip from Law and Order and  required them to read (need name of article).

Though a picture conceals itself in a phone, sexting has become an issue at Legacy. If a teacher or administrator finds an inappropriate picture at school they will turn the phone or camera over to the police and they will proceed with an investigation.

“It is extremely inappropriate to send pictures of yourself in that type of manner,” Principal David Wright said. “Students become bolder through texting.”

Though Sarah did not become a registered sex offender, the consequences changed her mind about sexting.

“I would be lying if I said I regret actually doing it,” Sarah said. “I mean I shouldn’t have done it. But I don’t believe in regretting anything. It was a learning experience and I will definitely never do it again.”

*names have been changed

[Read the author’s blog about this story]