Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Donors double amount Iowa teen ordered to pay family of her accused rapist

Share

Donations for an Iowa teenager poured in on Thursday, doubling the US$150,000 amount a court ordered her to pay the family of a man whom she killed after he allegedly sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions.

As of Thursday morning, , 17, had raised more than $340,000, well past its $200,000 goal, less than two days after a judge sentenced the Des Moines teen in the killing of her accused rapist, whom she stabbed to death in 2020.

"As the donations have increased, I am overjoyed with the prospect of removing this burden from Pieper," said Leland Schipper, her former high school math teacher, who set up the page to help pay the restitution and for her education.

Lewis pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and willful injury in June 2021, a year after she killed Zachary Brooks, 37, in Des Moines. Lewis was 15 years old and homeless when she met Brooks in May 2020.

Lewis said she was a victim of sex trafficking and that Brooks sexually assaulted her on the night they met and again the night she stabbed him to death in a fit of rage while he slept.

"My story can change things. My story has changed me," Lewis said during her sentencing hearing on Tuesday. "The events that took place on that horrific day cannot be changed, as much as I wish I could."

During the hearing, Polk County District Judge David Porter sentenced Lewis to five years probation and ordered her to perform 1,200 hours of community service. He also ordered her to pay $150,000 to Brooks' family, saying he was bound by Iowa law to require her to pay restitution, the Des Moines Register reported.

Her attorneys were considering appealing the restitution order. The office of Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said donations can be used to pay the restitution, the Des Moines Register reported.

Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Chicago; editing by Jonathan Oatis

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

B.C.’s Civil Resolution Tribunal has ordered WestJet to refund a family in full for their diverted flight and compensate them for associated costs.

opinion

opinion Kamala Harris needs another breakthrough to win in November

The sprint to the White House comes to its climactic end less than 45 days from now, and Washington political analyst Eric Ham says despite Kamala Harris's rising popularity, she's still in need of another breakthrough if she's to win the presidency.

On Sept. 20, Justice R.E. Nation of the Alberta Court of King's Bench found Craig McMorran guilty of fraud, money laundering and stealing a cottage from its rightful owners.

Local Spotlight

Giant gourds took over a Manitoba community this weekend.

Fire has destroyed a barn and 17,000 plants at a family-owned business in Lower Coverdale, N.B.

Before influencers on social media, Canada’s Jeanne Beker was bringing the world of high fashion down to earth and as Calgary’s Glenbow Museum gets a major make-over, it will include a new exhibition showcasing the pop culture icon.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.