HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla — A Hillsborough County foster home counselor has been arrested for allegedly performing sex acts with a minor.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Katherine Striklin, 28, worked as a counselor at A Kid's Place of Tampa Bay. HCSO detectives started investigating Sticklin on September 11 after a foster child at the home said she contacted him on Snapchat, sent him explicit images, and told the teen she wanted to perform sexual acts with him.
According to detectives, the teen blocked her on social media, but Striklin continued to pressure him. HCSO said that she allegedly went into a shared men's bathroom while he was alone and started to perform sexual acts on him.
Striklin is charged with 3 counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor and lewd or lascivious touching of a minor 16 or 17 years of age by a person 24 years of age or older.
"She should be ashamed of taking advantage of someone she was trusted to care for and mentor. I hope he is able to begin healing knowing this woman is behind bars,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said.
The Sheriff's Office does not believe there are any other victims at this time, but the investigation is ongoing.
Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone obtained the most recent batch of Florida teacher exit interviews which detail, in their own words, why teachers left the classroom this summer.
