A Philadelphia LGBTQ activist who was once the victim of a hate crime is now facing several charges related to allegations that she raped two children.
Trans woman advocate, Kendall Stephens, 37, was arrested on December 18 and charged with rape, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with minors, corruption of minors, unlawful contact with minors, indecent assault against people less than 13 years of age, obscenity to minors and endangering the welfare of children.
Not many details regarding the accusations Stephens faces have been released to the public, but court documents revealed a family member reported repeated sexual abuse of her nephews by a woman they refer to as “Aunt Kendall.”
The family member who reported the abuse is the alleged victim’s real aunt, and she spoke with Fox 29 under the condition of anonymity about what she says her nephews have suffered.
“She’s a family friend who has been around since they were born,” the woman said. “You had this aunt stature in their life, and they’re thinking– I don’t wanna tell an adult because I don’t want something bad to happen to Aunt Kendall.”
She went on to say that her youngest nephew, age 7, reported the alleged abuse to his grandmother, which prompted the two boys Stephens is accused of abusing to open up about it.
“We were able to sit them down individually is when they broke down and cried and said everything that happened,” she said, adding that when the family confronted Stephens, “she didn’t deny it to us.
“She tried to flip the story and say my nephew tried to kiss her first,” she said. “He’s 9 years old. No, he didn’t. I feel like she was grooming my nephews…my nephews have definitely endured a lot.”
The alleged victims’ aunt also said the family won’t let Stephens’ public status—which blew up after she was attacked in her home in 2020 by Tymesha Wearingin, who was “convicted in February of aggravated assault and conspiracy for her role in the home invasion and group assault of Stephens,” according to CBS—deter them from fighting for justice.
“I don’t want her stature to be able to use this reputation and think that it’s gonna be able to get her out of this situation because what she did to my nephews is unbelievable,” the aunt said.
After her arrest Monday, Stephens had a preliminary arraignment in Philadelphia Municipal Court. Her bond has been set at $500,000.
Meanwhile, on X, the news of Stephens’ arrest has predictably prompted a wave of anti-LGBTQ bigotry by people who appear to care less about the welfare of children and more about adding to the conservative propaganda that paints trans people as groomers of children.
Stephens’ alleged actions are of his own volition.
