In a disturbing case that has shocked the Florence, Alabama community, Justin Stephens, a 43-year-old man from Lowmansville, Kentucky, stands accused of a heinous crime against a 15-year-old girl. Authorities allege that Stephens impersonated the teenager’s father to remove her from Central High School under false pretenses, only to commit sexual assault at an abandoned building.

This alarming incident came to light last month when the girl’s parents discovered an unauthorized phone in their daughter’s possession. Their investigation led them to crisis care services and eventually into the hands of law enforcement officials who pieced together the grim details of the case.

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According to Sgt. Josh Casson of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department, it appears Stephens had previously established contact with the young girl through online platforms—a strategy often referred to as grooming by experts in sexual predation. The calculated nature of this interaction laid the groundwork for the subsequent assault.

Court records reveal that on September 18, Stephens contacted school staff at Central High School claiming an urgent need to collect his daughter. Surveillance footage later corroborated that the teen left with Stephens in his black pickup truck around 9 a.m., only to return approximately five hours later.

The break in the case occurred when investigators located Stephens at a hotel in Colbert County. Upon confrontation, he reportedly confessed to both taking the victim to an abandoned house where they had sexual relations and exchanging explicit photographs with her.

Stephens now faces multiple charges including rape, traveling with intent to meet a child for sex, and enticing a minor into a vehicle or building for illicit purposes. Following his court appearance on Wednesday, he was detained on a $365,000 bond. Should he post bail, stringent conditions require him to forfeit his passport and avoid any contact with the victim.

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The Lauderdale County School System has publicly acknowledged its cooperation with ongoing law enforcement investigations but has refrained from commenting directly on how someone not recognized as family was allowed to take a student off school premises.

Further complicating matters is Sgt. Casson’s revelation that additional charges against Stephens could be forthcoming in Colbert County—underscoring the breadth of legal troubles facing him and highlighting systemic concerns around child safety and digital communication practices among teenagers.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities children face both online and offline and prompts serious questions about verification processes within educational institutions. As this story unfolds, it will undoubtedly continue to resonate deeply within Florence and beyond, sparking discussions on how best to protect our youngest citizens from such unthinkable acts.

How can schools improve their verification processes to ensure the safety of students when someone claims to be a parent or guardian?

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