From turmoil to triumph: Olathe girl, family celebrate new Kansas stalking statute

TODAY WAS ATRIUMPHANT MOMENT FORAN OLATHE FAMILY WHOSEDAUGHTER WASALLEGEDLY STALKED BYHER TEACHER.AFTER LEARNING THEPUNISHMENT FORSTALKING A MINOR IN THESTATE OF KANSAS WASONLY A MISDEMEANOR,HER PARENTS SET OUT TOCHANGE THE LAW.41 ACTION NEWS ANCHORCAITLIN KNUTE HAS BEENFOLLOWING THIS STORYEXTENSIVELY, AND BRINGSUS A POSITIVE ENDING TOAT LEAST THIS CHAPTERFOR THE FAMILY.DESPITE ALL THEANTONUCCIS HAVE BEENTHROUGH, THIS MOMENTWAS ONE OFCELEBRATION.Kristyn Antonucci, Mom:"I'm just so proud of her andso proud of everybody."THIS IS THE FIRST TIMEWE'VE IDENTIFIEDADDALYN, BOTH BY NAME,AND SHOWING HER FACE,WITH HER FAMILY'SPERMISSION.THAT'S BECAUSE THEY SEETHIS BILL SIGNING AS ANEMPOWERING ANDHEALING MOMENT.Addalyn Antonucci, 11 Years Old: "Yeah, it has definitelyhelped.

I'm just so happy wecan pass this law and helpother kids."WALKING INTO THEKANSAS STATE CAPITOL TOATTEND THE CEREMONIALBILL SIGNING MARKS A BIGWIN FOR THEIR FAMILY IN AYEAR-LONG ORDEAL.Mom: "We really wanted to takesomething that was brokenand make it into somethingbeautiful moving forward andsomething where we hope toimpact thousands of other kidsand thousands of otherfamilies that are in thesituation."THAT SITUATION STARTEDWHEN SOME OF ADDALYN'SCLASSMATES CAMEFORWARD TO REPORT HERTEACHER'S BEHAVIOR.Rosalee Johnson, Classmate: "I told my mom that I saw myteacher taking pictures of myfriend Adalyn."THAT PROMPTED ANOLATHE SCHOOL DISTRICTINVESTIGATION THAT WASTHEN TURNED OVER TOPOLICE.Amaya JimenezClassmate: "I saw him taking pictures ofmy friend."Reporter:"And who did you tell?"Jimenez: "My mom."POLICE RECORDS SHOWDETECTIVES FOUNDHUNDREDS OF PHOTOSAND VIDEOS OF ADDALYN..MOSTLY FOCUSED ON HERBUTTOCKS... ON JAMESLOGANBILL'S PERSONALDEVICES.POLICE SAY HE ADMITTEDTO CAPTURING THEIMAGES, SAYING HE WASSEXUALLY ATTRACTED TOTHE GIRL, ALTHOUGH HEDENIES STALKING HER.AND, BECAUSE OF THEWAY THE KANSASSTALKING STATUTE WASWRITTEN, HIS ATTORNEYHAS ARGUED LOGANBILLCAN'T BE GUILTY OFSTALKING ... BECAUSEADALYN DIDN'T KNOW SHEWAS BEINGPHOTOGRAPHED AT THETIME.ALTHOUGH INTERPRETINGTHAT WILL ULTIMATELY BEUP TO A JUDGE, THEFAMILY SET OUT TOCHANGE THE LAW FOROTHERS IN THE FUTURE.Rep Megan Lynn , Olathe:"And now the crime of stalkinga minor has been increased toseverity level seven, a felony,and level four for those whowould reoffend."Gov.

Laura Kelly: this is so long, this is solongoverdue.

The fact that this lawwas not a felony?

It's justincredible.

And so now it is,and it's where it should be."THE BILL SIGNED INTO LAWBY GOVERNOR LAURAKELLY ALSO CLOSES WHATSUPPORTERS DEEMED ALOOPHOLE IN HOWSTALKING IS DEFINED.AND THERE TO WITNESS ITALL, THE FAMILY WHOFOUGHT FOR CHANGE...AND THE BRAVE FRIENDSWHO CAME FORWARD TOSAY SOMETHING..

WHENTHEY SAW SOMETHINGTHAT DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT.Caitlin Knute, Topeka: "For the Antonucci family,what happened here at theCapitol was certainly a victory.But, they're not done yet.Addalyn and her classmateswill have face their teacher,James Loganbill, when theytestify against him at hisupcoming trial, scheduled forJune 2nd.

In Topeka, CaitlinKnute, 41 Action N