A California mother is on trial after allegedly throwing a party with minors, fueled with alcohol, resulting in alleged sexual abuse.
According to the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Shannon O’Connor, 51, is on trial in Santa Clara, facing 20 felony child endangerment-related charges, along with 20 misdemeanor charges of providing alcohol to children.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, O’Connor allegedly threw parties for teens at a $4 million Bay Area mansion, which included sexual activities and alcohol such as beer, vodka, and fireballs.
She allegedly watched as high school children had sex, sometimes non-consensual, according to prosecutors.
On Monday, a former Los Gatos High School student took the stand and recalled how he attended a party in September 2020. The witness, who said he was either 13 or 14 at the time, stated O’Connor threw parties for her teen son and invited “trustworthy” girls.
She also controlled who could attend the party among the “popular group,” which included O’Connor and her son, KRON 4 reports.
“After her husband left, we eventually brought it [cases of beer] out into the room,” the witness testified. “Everyone was pretty drunk. I couldn’t think too straight. I had trouble walking.”
O’Connor allegedly told the teens to refrain from telling their parents. During one incident, she refused to call police after one of the teens started choking on his own vomit and passed out, according to court documents.
The teen witness said he attended additional parties, where O’Connor again provided alcohol. He confirmed that minors were having sex at the parties, with two downstairs bedrooms provided.
Although the witness said he never felt pressured to engage in sexual acts, multiple girls at the party said that they did. One girl stated that O’Connor arranged an encounter and watched while a sexual assault took place between intoxicated minors.
The prosecution alleged that O’Connor had an “an unnatural or abnormal sexual interest” and facilitated the encounters for “sexual gratification.”
Court documents indicated that the defendant watched a sexual assault on a female victim who “could barely hold her head above water,” while in a jacuzzi.
A photo of the girl emerged, showing her lying unconscious on the ground while a group of peers stood around her.
O’Connor has pleaded not guilty.
Meanwhile, O’Connor allegedly made calls from the Elmwood Correctional Facility to NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit, to tell her side of the story.
O’Connor reportedly claimed that she “never intended for any harm to happen to these kids, and I’m so sorry it did.”
During an interview with the outlet, O’Connor explained that she was speaking out because she has not been given a fair chance to share her version of events.
“I thought I would get a fair chance. That was my hope to begin with, was to be able to tell my story and tell the truth about everything that happened.
“And unfortunately, this whole process has been flawed. And I don’t feel as though I will get a fair jury at this point.”
She also reportedly claimed that “many parents knew” their children were experimenting with alcohol and that the minors drank at other people’s homes as well.
According to the DA’s office, the underage parties lasted close to a year, starting in June 2020.
The trial continues. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Shannon O’Connor/Ada County Sheriff’s Office]
