Woman Charged With Indecent Assault

Thursday, July 31, 1997; 9:26 p.m. EDT

LONDON (AP) -- A British woman who went to Florida with a 14-year-old boy was charged Thursday with child abduction and indecent assault after she was brought home by police.

Tracey Whalin, 33, who had been found and arrested in the Florida Keys last week, flew back to Britain on Wednesday, accompanied by two British detectives.

The married mother of three and Sean Kinsella, a friend of her son, disappeared from their homes in Nottingham, central England, 17 days ago without leaving word where they were going.

They were traced to an apartment in the Florida Keys. Sean was returned to his family and Whalin was arrested.

On Tuesday, she was released from Monroe County Detention Center after prosecutors responded to a request from Sean's mother that the case be dealt with in Britain.

Monroe County Authorities stated that Mrs. Whalin appeared to be unrepentant, often referring to Sean as, "my little slave," and remarking proudly that she had once required the boy to clean her stiletto-heeled boots with his tongue.

Child abduction carries a maximum sentence of seven years and indecent assault a maximum sentence of 10 years, a Nottingham police spokesman said. Charges of child rape are to be considered pending an interview with the boy. Conviction of child rape could bring a life sentence.

Solicitors for the Whalin family will argue that Mrs. Whalin's mental state must be at issue. "She has changed in recent months," stated one family member, noting that Mrs. Whalin had recently become sexually flirtatious, had begun to attire herself in leather, and was now dressing so as to reveal much of her ample bosom. "All of this is very unlike Tracy," stated a friend of the family.

The case has been page one news in Britain, and The Sun tabloid devoted three full pages to an interview with Sean and his mother the day after he arrived home.