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Hampton woman charged with sexual battery of girl in York County

Posted at 2:45 PM, Sep 19, 2013
and last updated 2013-09-19 23:36:59-04

York County, Va. -What deputies thought were two teens messing around in the woods turned out to be much more. Investigators say 21-year-old Stephanie Griffith was posing as a 15-year-old boy named Seth Walker.

York-Poquoson Sheriff Danny Diggs says Griffith was having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl.

"Yea there's some twists and turns to this story at the very least," he says.

Sheriff Diggs says it all unfolded Monday afternoon.

"A citizen heard an unusual sound coming from the woods and called us," Sheriff Diggs says.

He says they heard screams coming from the woods behind the Landings of Langley subdivision.

"The scream was actually an attempted piercing, that was consensual," he says.

Diggs says Griffith was attempting to pierce the girl’s belly button. Griffith was arrested after investigators realized she was not 15-year-old Seth Walker.  Diggs says Griffith and the girl met a few months ago. He says over time, their friendship turned sexual.

Diggs hopes this is a warning to parents that a woman can just as easily be a sexual predator. He’s also worried Griffith may have more than one victim.

"We think there's a good possibility that she could have ensnared some other young people," Sheriff Diggs says.

NewsChannel 3 spoke to Griffith’s roommate in Hampton off camera. She admits Griffith has gone by the name Seth Walker before, but didn't think much of it. The roommate added that she never thought Griffith was capable of something like this.

Griffith has been charged with seven counts of Sexual Battery, one count of Crimes Against Nature and one Count of Piercing a Minor.

Investigators say Griffith was last known to live in the 9th block of Clover Street, Hampton and ask if anyone knows of any other victims to call the CrimeLine at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.