Sometime between late 2017 and early 2019, 27-year-old Tilli Buchanan and her husband were making home improvements and installing drywall in their Utah residence.
When they began to itch from the materials they were working with the couple reportedly removed their shirts to try to get rid of the source of the irritation.
Buchanan is the stepmother to her husband’s children, ages 9, 10 and 13, and the kids entered the room where the couple was working causing them to see her bare breasts.
In February, when the authorities learned of the incident from the birth mother of the children, Buchanan was charged with three counts of lewdness involving a child.
When Buchanan’s lawyer responded on her behalf, it was reported in the court documents that “she considers herself a feminist and wanted to make a point that everybody should be fine with walking around their house or elsewhere with skin showing.” Buchanan also reportedly feels the legal recourse is unjust because her husband, who was also bare-chested, was not criminally charged.
The ACLU has taken an interest in the case, and their attorneys have asked that the case be dismissed because it is unconstitutional, stating that even while lifting the ban on women legally being topless in public is under consideration as of late, “you wouldn’t think you would lose those protections within the private space of your home.”
If the court decides to move forward with the charges and Buchanan is convicted, she could spend a year in jail and be required to pay up to $2500 in fines, in addition to registering as a sex offender for a decade.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a sexual offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.