Teen Accused Of Rape Quits School
Following new accusations of a second sexual assault, 18-year old Joseph Tarnopolski has dropped out of school. The Huron High School senior had been the focus of a rape investigation until his accuser, Samantha Kelly, took her own life Monday.
On the heels of her suicide, a second complaint surfaced Thursday by another student. Police say criminal charges in the case could come out next week.
Wednesday night, Tarnopolski spoke to the media, saying he's not to blame for the merciless taunting Samantha Kelly faced from classmates, that her family members say led to her death.
"I wish she hadn't died," Tarnopolski said. He added, "it will be on my mind forever" and said he felt "a little bit" responsible for Kelly's death.
Tarnopolski said Kelly was his friend and they had arranged to have sex as a "mutual thing" between them. He said he thought Kelly was 16-years-old and not 14.
Meantime, friends and family of Samantha Kelly gathered Thursday night to remember her.
Among those on hand, Sarah Stonebreaker, who said she was' horrified by online comments that have been critical of the teen.
"Someone started posting horrible pictures... people were just saying 'she gets what she deserves' -- all these horrible things like that. It's like, you know, exactly -- if you don't have anything nice to say than shut up and don't say it at all," Stonebreaker said.
Billy Ray, 21, who knew Kelly from working with her say something more needs to be done to hold someone accountable.
"I think it's a shame that Huron High School and the court systems just didn't do enough. You know, if they had just stepped up than this would never have happened," he said.
Funeral services for Kelly will be held this weekend at Michigan Memorial Funeral Home in Flat Rock.
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