A 38-year-old mother has been arrested for allegedly hosting and taking part in sex parties for teenagers. It is a case that officials in southern Indiana call "sickening."
Prosecutors in Clark County, IN say Mary Dennis took advantage of the classmates of her own children. Dennis is accused of providing alcohol for the kids and then allegedly having sex with at least seven minors, including oral sex with a 15-year-old.
Prosecutors say they learned of the allegations after the teens, who attend Silver Creek High School, started talking about Dennis and her parties. They say the news got around and Dennis was reported to Child Protective Services.
Police say Dennis' 13-year-old daughter told them she walked by her mother's bedroom at one point and saw her having sex with a boy while two others watched.
A 17-year-old boy told police he had a two-month relationship with Dennis. Prosecutors say Dennis admitted having oral sex with two different teens and said it was because she was going through a "crazy time in her life" and a rough divorce.
"I've been a prosecutor for over a decade now and, unfortunately, I still get amazed by some of the things that I see some people do," said Clark County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Jeremy Mull. "And this is one of those cases where it's just really hard to believe what she was doing."
Mull says parents should not have to worry about their children being victimized by their friends' parents.
The legal age of consent in Indiana is 16, but Dennis still faces two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor for allegedly having sex with the 15-year-old. She's also charged with neglect of a dependent.
Even though Dennis is cooperating with authorities and has allegedly admitted to the crimes, her attorney, Paige Gabhart, told us his client is innocent until proven guilty.
Dennis is being held in the Clark County Jail on $50,000 bond. Her trial date was set for September