Woman who was tortured by her parents is arrested for sexually assaulting teen girl

A Texas woman who was known as “The Girl in the Closet” after suffering years of torture and abuse by her family has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting an underage teen girl, police said.

Lewisville police said Wednesday they received a tip earlier the week from the teen claiming she had been sexually assaulted by Lauren Kavanaugh, according to the Dallas Morning News. Police said the teen, 14, told them she had been in a sexual relationship with the woman for two months.

The two met through a Facebook page titled “The Lauren Kavanaugh Story,” according to detectives. The page was used to offer support to abuse victims, police said.

Kavanaugh admitted to the sexual relationship with the girl and was arrested, the newspaper reported. Police believe there may have been more victims and have asked parents to speak with their children to find out whether they had inappropriate contact with Kavanaugh.

Kavanaugh was charged with sexual assault of a child and was being held in Denton County Jail on $10,000 bail.

Kavanaugh was abused from ages 2 to 8 and was rescued from a closet in her family’s home in Hutchins in 2001. She told her story on a 2017 episode of “Dr. Phil.”

Barbara Atkinson and Kenneth Atkinson, Kavanaugh’s mother and stepfather, are serving life sentences for their role in Kavanaugh’s abuse, according to the Morning News.

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