Teenager pleads guilty to sex assault at U-M's Mott Hospital
The teenager charged with groping a woman in August at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct Wednesday.
![Soumo_Gorden_Kennedy[1].jpg](http://www.annarbor.com/assets_c/2011/09/Soumo_Gorden_Kennedy[1]-thumb-200x298-89794.jpg)
Soumo Kennedy
Prosecutors dropped a charge of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. The charge was mistakenly added onto the case, according to Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Robyn Liddell.
Kennedy said he was at Mott Children’s Hospital on the night of Aug. 20 and admitted to touching the buttocks of a female patient without permission.
The victim in the case reported the incident on Sept. 20 to University of Michigan Department of Public Safety officials, police said.
Kennedy, who has no fixed address, will be sentenced by Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Melinda Morris at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 14. He faces a maximum of two years in prison for the charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. He is being held at the Washtenaw County Jail.
Kennedy was convicted in 2008 in Wayne County of third-degree home invasion.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Wolf's Bane
Thu, Oct 13, 2011 : 5:44 p.m.
This story is so disturbing on so many levels. I can't believe we have monsters like this stalking hospitals. Where were his guardians??? Just sickening. In addition, to requiring insurance to take your child to hospital, you also, evidently, now need a gun as well to protect them. Disgusting.
900man
Thu, Oct 13, 2011 : 2:57 p.m.
Your misreading the story. There were 3 charges originally. the charge of second degree was a mistake. The charge of assault with intent to commit criminal sexual penetration was pled down!!!!
Steve Pepple
Thu, Oct 13, 2011 : 12:27 p.m.
A comment containing unsubstantiated allegations has been removed.
900man
Thu, Oct 13, 2011 : 3:27 p.m.
Your a reporter, so substantiate!!.The public needs to here what really went on at Motts!!!
Cash
Thu, Oct 13, 2011 : 12:06 p.m.
What a difference from the original story! <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/teenager-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-hospital-patient-held-on-200000-bond/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/teenager-charged-with-sexually-assaulting-hospital-patient-held-on-200000-bond/</a> Something certainly happened that changed things.......it would be interesting to know what really happened here. I mean this is a HUGE difference! To say the charge was a "mistake"? Didn't seem to be any doubt when the prosecutor spoke earlier! Something doesn't ring true here.
trespass
Thu, Oct 13, 2011 : 11:47 a.m.
Why did the victim wait a month to report the crime? Did she know the perpetrator? Did he return to the hospital and is that why she reported the crime? Does this put him on the sex predators list? Does he know all the restrictions that will bring in terms of where he can live and whether he can get a job? There are a lot of unanswered questions about this case, which makes it confusing. The prosecutor made a mistake! The public reaction to an attempted penetration in Mott's would probably be whole lot different than grabbing her buttocks. From the standpoint of what Mott's staff can do security wise, there is probably little they can do to prevent something as quick as grabbing someone's buttocks vs an attempted rape. That doesn't sound like a simple mistake. It sounds like incompetence.
Cash
Thu, Oct 13, 2011 : 12:08 p.m.
trepass, This doesn't pass the smell test.
RJA
Thu, Oct 13, 2011 : 3:39 a.m.
Glad to hear he is being held, and that he will have a fixed address for up to 2 years. Actually really sad, he is a good looking young man. Hopefully he can turn his life around, and get on with it.