A Rape Case in Maryville, MO Goes Viral

In Maryville, Missouri, the case of last year’s alleged rape of 14-year-old Daisy Coleman will be re-examined after the Kansas City Star raised disturbing questions in an investigative report on Saturday.

Last year, the 14-year-old cheerleader claims she was raped by a football star at a drunken high school party. When the town found out, she got the blame. Her mother lost her job and the family home was burned down. The Sheriff says there was evidence for a strong rape case, but the DA refused to prosecute. Investigative reporting has raised disturbing questions, and this week came an announcement: the case will be re-examined. It was one incident in small-town Missouri—but some see a broader pattern of toleration for sexual assault, especially when male athletes are involved.