Bipolar disorder

"The past two years have been hard on all parties involved," she said.

"I pray with all my heart that the young man and his family will be able to move on with their lives.

Again, I offer my deepest apologies.

I've been undergoing extensive therapy and believe it has helped me tremendously." Lafave, now 25, was accused in Marion County of having sex with the boy in a sport utility vehicle while his cousin drove them around, and in Hillsborough County of having sex with him in a classroom and her home in June 2004.

A Hillsborough judge approved a plea deal here and sentenced her to three years of house arrest and seven years' probation.

The Hillsborough deal was contingent upon the one in Marion County.

Under the deal, she also has to register as a sex offender, forfeit her teaching certificate and sometimes wear an electronic monitoring device.

Stancil objected because the minimum prison sentences for her lewd and lascivious battery charges are nearly 17 years.

Stancil said victims of sexual offenses rarely want to testify and this victim, now 16, is no different.

The judge also said he would have been more inclined to accept the deal if Lafave was only facing charges in Marion County.

"As it stands, the court is unable to comprehend what is to be gained by a plea deal and a concurrent sentence in Marion County," Stancil wrote.

The victim has become withdrawn and has trouble talking about the incident, Dr.

Martin Lazoritz testified at ...

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