California teen vanishes after alleged sexual abuse by former juvenile hall therapist
A 17-year-old boy whose therapist is accused of raping him has run away from home, and his mother fears he may be seeking the counselor despite court restrictions.
Former juvenile hall therapist Sofia Drotts, 26, was charged Monday with several felonies, including unlawful sexual intercourse, after prosecutors allege she groomed a teenage boy for over two years. The teen, identified as John Doe in court documents, was 14 or 15 when the alleged abuse started while he served time at Contra Costa County Juvenile Hall. After his release, Drotts allegedly kept in touch using a burner phone and pretended to be his girlfriend, even video-chatting with him at the moment police arrested her in Concord.
His mother, who requested anonymity, says the 17-year-old fled home and may be trying to see Drotts despite a court order prohibiting contact. The boy cut off his ankle monitor, missed a probation hearing and now faces a warrant for his arrest. Drotts has pleaded not guilty and is represented by a private attorney; a civil suit against Contra Costa County is pending, with attorney John Burris criticizing supervisory failures. The investigation remains ongoing.
Why it matters
The case highlights potential failures in juvenile supervision and raises concerns about therapist-patient boundaries.
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