Boy, 15, accused of raping classmate during school

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. -- A suburban St. Louis teenager has been accused of raping a female classmate at their high school in the middle of the school day.

Authorities said another boy served as a lookout. Both boys were taken into juvenile custody but later released to their families. A spokesman for the St. Louis County prosecutor's office said the boys would not be charged as adults.

The three allegedly skipped class Tuesday afternoon at Parkway West High School in Chesterfield and headed for a remote stairwell. Police said the 16-year-old girl was raped by one of the boys while the other served as a lookout.

"We are deeply saddened by this situation and regret that it has interfered with the sanctity of our school," principal Bet Plunkett wrote in a letter to parents mailed Wednesday.

Though the students cut class together, the sex was not consensual, Chesterfield police Sgt. Chris Connolly said.

Studying security

Parkway officials were reviewing how the students were able to skip class and whether hallway security needs to be upgraded.

District spokesman Paul Tandy said a police officer is stationed at each of the district's four high schools. Teachers help monitor halls as well.

"The challenge is we have large schools and large buildings and a lot of kids," Tandy said. "There are no guarantees, and that's the sad part."