After five weeks of good behavior. judge allows therapist charged with sex with autistic student to remove ankle monitor

A former behavioral therapist charged with two felony counts of having sexual contact with a student no longer has to wear an ankle monitor.

During a bond reduction hearing this morning in Jasper County Circuit Court, Judge Joseph Hensley granted portions of the motion filed by the attorney for Victoria West, 28, Joplin, a former therapist at the Leffen Center for Autism.

Under Hensley's ruling, West will also be allowed to move to Pittsburg, Kansas, to care for her ailing grandmother. She will remain on house arrest, but only between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. each day.

In the bond reduction motion, West's attorney had argued her client should have the GPS monitor removed and no longer to have to be under house arrest because she had behaved well during the five weeks since the conditions were imposed.







West will be permitted to look for a job, as long as she does not take one that requires her to work overnight hours.

Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, February 20.

According to the probable cause statement, West provided oral sex to a 17-year-old autistic student November 20 and November 29 at Schifferdecker Park.