Teen accused of being ‘lookout’ during rape at Westside High to be released from custody

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - A teenager accused of being the “lookout” while another student allegedly raped a 14-year-old female student at Westside High School will be released from custody as early as Wednesday.

The release comes with several stipulations for the 15-year-old boy, who appeared in court Tuesday alongside his parents.

Since the alleged incident at Westisde High in early December, the suspect has been in custody at the Douglas County Youth Center after prosecutors said he was a danger to the public.

On Tuesday, though, his attorney asked that the teen be released to the home program with GPS monitoring, arguing that simply being a lookout, even if it’s true, doesn’t rise to the level of being a last resort and locked up.

She told the court that what the teen said is that he only found out about the alleged assault after it happened, when his friend told him.

He says he was watching the door in the school stairwell so he didn’t get in trouble for vaping. Either way, Tuesday’s court session wasn’t about sorting through the facts; rather, whether or not the 15-year-old would remain in custody.

Judge Chad Brown said he would release the teen to the home program as long as he was monitored there and followed the rules.

The teen got credit for not having a criminal record, having a stable family, and for having connections with church and the community.

The suspect has also continued to go to school while at the Douglas County Youth Center, taking online classes with Omaha Public Schools. He’s no longer enrolled at Westside.

The judge said that if he doesn’t follow the long list of rules - those rules include staying off social media and having no contact with the 14-year-old victim or the co-defendant, who is being tried as an adult - he'll put him back in detention until trial.