Charges Dropped Against Woman Accused Of Taking Girl, 12, To Get Birth Control
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Charges against a woman accused of taking a 12-year-old girl to get a birth control implant have been dropped.
Valerie Fullum, 29, of New Brighton, is accused of taking the girl against her will to get the device inserted into her arm.
According to court documents, the charges against Fullum have now been withdraw.
She was facing two felony counts of endangering the welfare of children and a misdemeanor of reckless endangerment.
Fullum spoke to KDKA News on Friday and said she never forced the young girl to get birth control.
"I've known her for a very long time and she confided in me," Fullum told KDKA.
In May, Misty Evans accused Fullum of taking her daughter to Adagio Health in Turtle Creek to get birth control, a plastic rod called Nexplanon, implanted in her arm.
Fullum, a mother of six, said after a confidential conversation with the preteen, she was very concerned for the preteen's well-being. However, taking her for contraceptives was never mentioned.
"It wasn't us going there to get birth control, there were other things she was worried about." Fullum said. "I never once did something without her asking me for something."
Under Pennsylvania law, a minor can receive confidential contraceptive care and counseling even without a parent.
"There are kids out here who are sexually active, and they don't know what they are getting themselves into at all," Fullum said. "I was a teenage mom myself and it's hard."
Fullum's attorney, Steve Townsend, said that the district attorney realized that the stories weren't adding up and asked for Allegheny County Police to investigate. Originally, the investigation was being handled by Turtle Creek police.
#BREAKING: Charges against Valerie Fullum have been withdrawn. She is the Beaver County woman accused of taking a 12yo girl to get birth control inserted in her arm. The girl's mom said it was against her will & asked police to file charges.
Charges have been dropped. @KDKA pic.twitter.com/TSzvRw6HHq— MEGHAN SCHILLER (@MeghanKDKA) July 19, 2019
County police determined based upon multiple interviews that the charges never should have been filed.
Townsend spoke to KDKA on Friday by phone and said nothing his client did was illegal.
Townsend said Fullum was trying to counsel the preteen on abstinence and good life choices, and that the girl asked Fullum to take her to the clinic for medical care when she didn't know who else to turn to.
"She felt more confident to talk to me and tell me what was going on," Fullum said.
Fullum lost her job as a LifeTouch photographer and personal care assistant because of these charges.
Fullum's case is now closed, and her next court appearance is now canceled.
Fullum said she told the girl's mom what happened several weeks later and hopes the two parties come together despite not speaking in months.
