Classmates watch girl, 7, sexually assaulted by boy, 18, during e-learning live stream as teacher yells 'log off'
CHICAGO: Catrell A Walls, a high school senior, was caught sexually assaulting a first grader during a remote learning livestream on Thursday, October 15. He has been charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under 13. According to a report in Chicago Tribune, the teenager is being held without a bond as he was out on bond for a gun case before. He live-streamed the sexual act with the minor on break from her Chicago public school remote learning class.
The 18-year-old appeared for a bond hearing on Saturday afternoon, October 17, before Judge Charles Beach. The authorities were notified when the class teacher saw what had happened with her student on-screen during a Google classroom e-learning session. Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Andreana Turano told Judge Beach that Walls showed complete disregard for the child's well being and showed a "wanton callousness for human life".
Other students who witnessed this were also shocked and were heard asking, "What’s going on, what’s happening?" The victim reportedly told the authorities that Walls had sexually assaulted her earlier too. She said that initially, Wall “just hit her” and that it was a "secret". The assistant attorney later quoted the victim to the judge and said, "The victim disclosed ‘he made me put my lips on (him) and this has happened before, and I don’t want my daddy to know, it’s a secret.'"
The assault was broadcast on a website accessible to many students. The girl was on a break from the class when her teacher asked the students to turn off their cameras and go on mute. The 7-year-old muted herself but did not turn off the camera. This is when the teacher saw them performing oral sex. She then continuously told all the students to "log off" and called the victim and asked her to turn off her camera. Turano said, “She saw the defendant close the computer."
Walls was arrested after the police arrived at the child's location and she identified him. He apologized while being placed under arrest and also said, "I don’t know why" and added, "I'm sorry." Walls' lawyer also claimed that the 18-year-old who works 40 hours a week, sometimes 6-days a week, in construction and has "extensive family ties" with several siblings and his parents in the city and that he plans on completing school. The lawyer also claimed that he was not a flight risk.
In addition to this, the lawyer claimed that his client was diagnosed with a disorder that impairs his ability to control his impulses and concentration. The Judge ordered 'no bails' for Walls and said that he had many reasons for doing so, the primary one being the fact that he was “currently on bail for a felony offense". The judge then added that his crime was "broadcast on video… multiple people saw it, including the teacher", Beach said.
On Walls' case for unlawful use of weapon, Turano said he was recently arrested late one evening with a loaded Glock handgun. He was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, a pending case that is up for arraignment on November 30. Walls will now appear in court for the sexual assault case on October 19.