Woman charged with raping man with intellectual disabilities

BETHEL PARK, Pa. — A Mt. Lebanon woman is accused of raping a 24-year-old man with intellectual disabilities.

Lisa Kelly is charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, criminal use of communication facility and indecent assault.

Bethel Park police said Kelly, 54, met the man when she was a job coach at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit Lifehouse in Dormont. The man took life skills classes there from 2011 to 2013. According to court papers, the man has the mental capacity of a 5- to 8-year-old.

“After the investigation, we determined that the individual, male victim, in this case has a disability that renders him incapable of consenting with a sexual relationship,” Bethel Park Police Detective Joelle Dixon said.

A criminal complaint stated Kelly encouraged the man to date her daughter, leading to text messages between the two, which the man's father called “inappropriate.”

According to the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, communication between the man and Kelly did not begin until after he graduated from their program.

In a statement, the AIU said,

"Lisa Kelly was employed with the AIU during the 2013-2014 school year as a job coach, which is a support staff position. When the AIU became aware of the alleged inappropriate and unprofessional communication between Ms. Kelly and the former student, the agency took swift and immediate action to investigate the matter. While the AIU was in the process of completing its investigation, Ms. Kelly abruptly resigned on February 4, 2014. From the time the AIU learned of the allegations up to and including the date of resignation, Ms. Kelly had no contact with any student nor access to AIU property."

Kelly and the man crossed paths again at South Hills Village Mall, where he worked in housekeeping and she maintained the plants.

According to the complaint, the two began texting again. The man told his father that he and Kelly engaged in sex acts in the mall.

Kelly declined to comment Wednesday as she was escorted out of the Bethel Park Police Department in handcuffs.

However, Kelly spoke with police, explaining to them the nature of her relationship with the victim.

According to the criminal complaint, Kelly attempted to justify the text message conversations by stating that she would rather the victim talk to her in that manner rather than some girl who might be offended.

She described herself as being “the safest space” and that she let him say things to her to “let him build confidence,” the complaint stated.

Cox Media Group