A former married high school teacher convicted of having sex with an underage student will not face any jail time, despite the victim's mother claiming that the teacher's "predatory behavior" robbed the student of his aspirations. McKenna Kindred sobbed as she apologized to the victim and his family in the courtroom and admitted to the crimes she committed.
Kindred, 25, a former teacher at Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley, Washington, pleaded guilty on Thursday to amended charges of second-degree sexual misconduct with a minor and communication with a minor for immoral purposes. However, Kindred is now required to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years.
Admitting Her Sex Crimes
Spokane County Superior Court Judge Dean Chuang sentenced Kindred to 24 months of probation and imposed $700 in fines and fees. Although the age of consent in Washington State is 16, adults can face charges if they engage in sex with minors under their care, up to the age of 18.
Kindred apologized to her victim Elijhah Beckley with whom she regularly had sex. She said she was "deeply ashamed" of her actions. "I am truly sorry for my actions," Kindred said.
"I know that this past year has been enormously stressful for all involved.
"As a result of my actions I've lost my career, valuable friendships, freedoms and have let down countless people who placed their trust in me.
"My mental health has also been severely affected by this event. I am deeply ashamed of the pain I have caused."
Family members of the victim were seen wiping away tears during the hearing.
According to the Spokeman-Review, the 17-year-old student and the teacher started texting one other when the minor found Kindred's Instagram account in June 2022, marking the beginning of the inappropriate interaction between the two.
Beckley and Kindred had intercourse at her house at some point in November of that year while Kindred's husband was out hunting.
Kindred and the teenager had both denied having a sexual relationship as rumors started getting spread around the school, including a teacher being harassed on social media, the outlet reported.
Without a Care
After Kindred's actions were investigated, detectives spoke with the teenager, who admitted contacting the teacher and even exchanging offensive videos with one another. The teenager admitted that he had sex with the teacher at home and that she had contacted Kindred over Instagram.
Kindred allegedly sent the teenager multiple sexually suggestive messages, according to the probe, as KHQ previously revealed. "I wanted you to be in my room."
"When other girls talk about you in my class I could feel myself getting mad."
"I really like being touched by you."
Detectives seized the teen's phone and found selfie-styled photos featuring both Kindred and the student. However, they did not find "any photos that appeared overtly sexual in nature," as reported by the outlet.
The school district placed Kindred on administrative leave in December 2022, before she resigned in 2023.
The victim's mother claimed that Kindred began grooming her son when he was 16 years old, describing her actions as an "abuse of power."
"I barely slept for several weeks in fear of the physical retaliation [my son] might be victim to as McKenna involved him in her adult marital affairs," Ashley Beckley said during her impact statement to the court, according to KHQ.
Beckley further claimed that Kindred's actions had made her son unable to complete his schooling on campus, significantly impacting his social, emotional, and academic well-being.
