WARNING: This story contains graphic details of sexual assault allegations between minors.
He was a little past 13. And she was just shy of her 12th birthday.
They connected on social media, arranging a middle school meet up that ended in sexual contact. After, they both said "I love you."
Two days later, she accused him of sexual assault — a charge he denied.
The age of consent
The trial that followed saw the boy acquitted in a shocking case that highlights issues of sex between minors and exceptions to the age of consent in Canada.
The details are contained in a provincial court decision handed down this July, but only recently posted online. The location of the court and the city where the incident happened — somewhere in B.C. — have been redacted in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
According to a provincial court decision, the two met on social media in April 2023. He was 13. She was 11.
Continue Reading on CBC News
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.