The regret-ridden mother of a 13-year-old boy who was groomed and raped by his adult female social worker wishes she never let the predator in her home.

In a statement read in court Thursday, the unidentified mother told Payton Shires, of Ohio, that the abuse has devastated her son and negated any faith she had in the nation’s social services, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

“Instead, he was manipulated, groomed and sexually abused by Ms. Shires,” the statement read, according to the local newspaper. “I regret ever letting you in my house.”

Shires, 24, was sentenced to more than four years in prison and will have to register as a sex offender moving forward.

TOP COP RESIGNS AMID TURMOIL FROM SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSUITS

She pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in May, along with other raps.

The victim’s mother said she began to notice alarming texts between Shires and her son late last year – including one where the counselor asked if he had deleted certain videos.

Investigators would later recover incriminating texts and at least one video showing them engaged in sexual acts.

Police orchestrated a three-way phone call between Shires and the mother, and the social worker acknowledged the illicit relationship.

TENNESSEE TEEN TESTIFIED AGAINST TEACHER WHO SUGGESTED SHE MAY BE PREGNANT WITH HIS CHILD

Payton Shires, 24, was sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison Thursday for raping a 13-year-old boy. (X )

Shires worked with the National Youth Advocate Program, which pairs foster children and other kids with counseling and support.

Shires was terminated after the allegations came to light.

The counselor was released on $50,000 bond after her arrest, and showed up at the victim’s home brandishing a gun.

The boy’s mother, she ranted, had destroyed her life by alerting authorities to their relationship. Shires, police said, threatened to kill the parent.

OHIO SUSPECT ACCUSED OF KILLING TODDLER OUTSIDE GIANT EAGLE SMIRKS IN COURT AS DAD LOOKS ON 

Payton Shires apologized Thursday for raping a 13-year-old boy before she was sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison. (Franklin County Sheriff’s Office)

“I was not thinking rationally at the time that I showed up to the mother’s house,” she told the court Thursday, claiming that she was suicidal in that moment.

“I’m just thankful that she took the right steps to call the police,” Shires said, reasoning that the arrest prevented her from continuing farther down a dark path.

Shires asked Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Mark Serrott for mercy at the sentencing, telling the court that she has a 4-year-old son and suffered from longstanding and untreated mental illness.

But Serrott slammed Shires for her actions.

“He was a child,” the judge said before handing down the term. “He was trying to get the help he needed.”

Many individuals arrested and charged based on facial recognition scan results often feel compelled to plead guilty, especially if they have a criminal record. This situation can lead to longer sentences and increased scrutiny from law enforcement and prosecutors, contrasting with the case of Robert Williams in Detroit City.

Detroit’s recent $300,000 settlement with Williams raises broader concerns about how facial technology is used to solve crimes. It underscores increasing worries about privacy rights and the importance of establishing protections as technology advances.

Robert Williams Sued the Detroit Police Department After being Mistakenly Identified as Theft Suspect

Detroit has agreed to pay $300,000 to Robert Williams, who was wrongly accused of theft due to flawed facial recognition technology. Williams sued the Detroit Police Department after he was wrongfully arrested in front of his family and jailed for 30 hours in 2020,

The case was dismissed on Friday when the settlement between Williams and the city was filed in federal court. As part of the lawsuit settlement, the Detroit Police Department will also have to change its policies on how police will utilize this technology to prevent future misidentifications. 

The Associated Press reported that Williams, whose driver’s license photo was wrongly flagged as a match to a suspect in a 2018 shoplifting case at a Shinola store, expressed relief at the settlement.

In a press briefing on Friday, Williams expressed optimism that the new safeguards would improve the facial recognition technology and photo lineup policies. However, he preferred that the police would not use the technology.

The settlement, announced by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Civil Rights Litigation Initiative at the University of Michigan Law School, highlighted persistent concerns regarding the technology’s imperfections and its disproportionate impact on Black individuals, such as Williams.

According to the ACLU, Detroit police have agreed to new restrictions barring arrests solely based on facial recognition outcomes. The policy also prohibits arrests based on photo lineups derived from facial recognition searches. 

ACLU attorney Phil Mayor said police could use facial technology to generate leads and then conduct traditional investigative procedures to determine whether the identified person committed a crime before making an arrest.

Read Also: China Proposes Measures for Facial Recognition Use, Demands ‘Individual Consent’

Policy Reforms of the Detroit Police Department

In August, Chief of the Detroit Police Department James White introduced new policies on facial technology amid ongoing litigation, prompted by an incident where a pregnant woman was mistakenly charged with carjacking.

At the time, White emphasized that police must have additional evidence beyond facial recognition technology to establish a suspect’s capability, opportunity, and intent to commit a crime. 

Under the terms of the agreement with Williams, Detroit police will review cases involving facial recognition use from 2017 to 2023. They will notify prosecutors if investigations reveal that arrests were made without corroborating evidence.

As Detroit grapples with the aftermath of settling with Robert Williams, the effects extend beyond the city’s borders. This agreement signals a move towards accountability and changes in how facial recognition technology is used, highlighting the need to balance innovation with civil rights. 

Using this technology responsibly to pursue justice is crucial to prevent harm to individuals like Williams and promote fairness in communities.

Related Article: Meta Hit by a Lawsuit in Texas Due to its Facial Recognition Technology, Allegedly Violated the Users Privacy

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DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) – MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jackson Chourio hit his first career grand slam in the fourth inning, Colin Rea allowed two runs on three hits over 5 1/3 innings and Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 4-2 on Friday night.

The NL-Central-leading Brewers — coming off a three-game sweep of the defending champion Texas Rangers — moved 11 1/2 games ahead of the Cubs.

Rea (7-2) won for the third time in his last four starts. He walked two and struck out a season-high eight. Trevor Megill converted his 17th save in 18 chances.

The Brewers got to Jameson Taillon (4-4) in the fourth when they loaded the bases on a walk, catcher’s interference and Rhys Hoskins’ single off Taillon’s glove. Chourio connected on a 1-2 sweeper, with the ball just making it over the wall in left.

It was the second game in a row that the Brewers went deep with the bases loaded. On Wednesday, Jake Bauers hit his second career grand slam.

Elvis Peguero relieved Rea and got a double play to end the sixth, but then fell into a bases-loaded jam with two outs in the seventh. Jared Koenig came on and retired pinch-hitter Patrick Wisdom on a first-pitch fly to center.

Taillon allowed four runs — three earned — on four hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out five.

Seiya Suzuki lined a 1-0 cutter over the wall in left in the fourth inning for his 10th home run of the season and the 44th of his career. That tied him with Tadihito Iguchi for fifth place on the career home run list by Japanese-born players.

Dansby Swanson made it 2-0 with a run-scoring base hit.

The partisan crowd booed when former Brewers manager Craig Counsell’s picture flashed on the scoreboard during pregame introductions. It’s the same unhappy serenade dished out in late May when the Cubs made their first trip this season to American Family Field.

Trainer’s Room:

Cubs: Rea hit Christopher Morel on his left hand in the fourth inning. He bounced away from the plate in obvious pain, but after attention from the Cubs’ trainer, he jogged to first base. … RHP Keegan Thompson (right rib fracture) landed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to June 27.

Brewers: 3B Joey Ortiz was out of the lineup with lingering neck stiffness. He is day-to-day after leaving Wednesday in the sixth inning.

Roster Moves

Cubs: RHP Ethan Roberts was recalled from Triple-A Iowa. RHP Vinny Nittoli was designated for assignment. RHP Jorge López’s contract was selected from Iowa.

Brewers: RHP Joel Kuhnel was sent outright to Triple-A Nashville.

UP NEXT

LHP Justin Steele (0-3, 3.38 ERA) was set to start Saturday for the Cubs against RHP Tobias Meyers (5-2, 3.12).

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