Accused foster mother faces August court date

A foster mother accused of having sex with the boy in her care has had her case continued until Aug. 26.

Jennifer Renee McWhirter, 33, of Mountain View Road, Bell Buckle, was charged in June with three counts of statutory rape by an authority figure and one count of criminal responsibility for facilitation of a felony. She is currently free on $11,000 bond.

At the Aug. 26 appearance, McWhirter could possibly have her case bound over to the Bedford County Grand Jury, according to Detective Lt. Becky Hord of the Bedford County Sheriff's Department.

McWhirter held the position of foster care coordinator at the Center for Family Development and was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the case.

Hord said in June she had received information that McWhirter, the boy's foster parent, had sexual relations with him.

The alleged relationship between McWhirter and the boy came to light after another foster mother was charged with eight counts of statutory rape by an authority figure earlier this year.

Alea Rhea Rippy pleaded guilty in June to amended charges -- three counts of statutory rape -- and agreed to serve 6 months in jail, followed by three years of community corrections. Rippy also had sexual relations with the minor in McWhirter's care.

Rippy could have faced from three to 15 years in prison on each of the eight counts, which is a class C felony. It was Rippy's first offense.

Hord said in June that the youth, McWhirter and Rippy "were all three good friends instead of foster care, foster parents." Other evidence was provided to Hord that indicated that "there was more than a foster mother/child relationship," she said.

Interviews of the juvenile indicated that McWhirter allegedly had sex with the boy three times last October and that the boy, Rippy and McWhirter drank alcoholic beverages together, Hord said.

Hord also said that preparations had allegedly been made to hide the boy in Florida because DCS had decided to send him back to Mexico. There was an issue with the Mexican consulate, Hord said, so the boy never went back.