Idaho mom, son arrested after alleged rape and kidnapping of 15-year-old girl to obtain abortion in Oregon

Kadyn Leo Swainston, 18, and Rachael Swainston, 42, of Pocatello, Idaho, have been hit with several felony charges after police launched an investigation in June after the girl’s mother reported to police that she had been raped, according to the Idaho State Journal.

Kadyn has been issued felony charges of rape, second-degree kidnapping and three counts of producing child sexually exploitative material.

Rachael Swainston has been issued felony charges of second-degree kidnapping, trafficking in methamphetamine, one count of harboring a wanted felon, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance, one each for the possession of fentanyl and psychedelic mushrooms.

On June 18, police said a woman contacted the Pocatello police to report that her daughter had been raped and taken to Bend, Oregon, without her permission, for an abortion.

On Aug. 7, the girl participated in a forensic interview at a local child advocacy center, during which she disclosed that she had engaged in a consensual sexual relationship with Kadyn when he was 17, with the relationship continuing after he turned 18. The age of consent in the state is 18.

The girl reportedly told investigators that not long after Kadyn had turned 18, she found out she was pregnant. She said she was "happy" about the pregnancy, but said Kadyn was not and he demanded that she get an abortion.

Police said that she provided a copy of the medical paperwork she had received following the abortion.

Search warrants for Kadyn and Rachael’s phones revealed that they traveled to Bend on May 18.

The girl also gave police permission to forensically extract data from her phone. Police located a video and three photos showing Kadyn and the girl engaging in sex acts.

Police said they identified Kadyn as the man in the photos and video by matching his tattoos.

On Thursday, police carried out a search warrant on the Swainston’s home. The same day, Kayden participated in an interview with police, during which he admitted to engaging in sexual acts with the girl after he turned 18 while knowing that she was 15, and that he and his mother had brought the girl to Oregon for an abortion.

Police located over 40 grams of meth in his mother’s room during the search warrant, and also arrested Rick A Parsons Jr, a man who had been staying in Rachael’s storage shed and was wanted on an outstanding felony warrant for meth trafficking charges.

The mother and son appeared in court for separate arraignment hearings on Friday, during which they were both released on their own personal recognizance. Both are scheduled to appear back in court on Nov. 7 for preliminary hearings in which prosecutors will attempt to prove that the cases have enough evidence to elevate them to the district court for trial.

If convicted, the mother could face up to life in prison on the meth trafficking charge, and up to 44 years in prison for the other charges.

The 18-year-old son could face life in prison if convicted of the rape charge, with the other four charges giving a maximum sentence of up to 115 years in prison.

Abortion activist Jessica Valenti wrote about the story in her Substack, but omitted from her initial post on X that the girl had been raped and brought to Oregon without her parent’s consent. She was hit with a community note clarifying the case, and later issued a post herself clarifying the matter.