The victim testified that he now experiences anxiety and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the relationship, and that he has “lost many firsts that [he] will never get back.” He further acknowledged that while Tat may now have a young child, he was only an adolescent when she engaged in a relationship with him.

“She isn’t the only child that comes into play in this case,” the victim said.

Ahead of sentencing, Hakes asked that Tat be allowed to serve her sentence from home so that she could take care of her baby, noting that while “what happened to [the victim] in this case is not fair,” Tat’s baby would suffer without the care of its mother.

“It is not good for society for the baby to grow up that way,” Hakes said.

In response, Lowe told the court that regardless of her status as a new mother, Tat’s punishment should be aimed at rectifying the damage done to the victim and to society. She noted that many new mothers have gone before the court and, without the same resources or finances, had not received special treatment.