Katherine Cowell trial delayed to December
CHLOE COCHRAN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 months, 2 weeks AGO
Katherine Cowell
SANDPOINT — A jury trial slated to take place later this month for a Boundary County woman charged with child sexual abuse was postponed to Dec. 8 to give defense counsel enough time to review evidence and discovery documents.
Naples resident Katherine Cowell, 50, could face up to life in prison if she is convicted on two charges of lewd conduct with a minor for alleged incidents that took place between 2012 and 2015.
Cowell is alleged to have been involved with sexual contact of a minor. Her husband, Richard Cowell III, 54, pleaded guilty to similar charges in July of criminal conspiracy and lewd conduct with a minor, for which documents indicate that he committed those acts with his wife, Katherine. However, his plea does not legally impact Katherine Cowell’s case.
Katherine Cowell’s jury trial was moved to a five-day setting on Dec. 8 after Chief Deputy Defender Catherine Enright noted that there was still significant discovery to go through in preparation of trial. Prosecutor Louis Marshall shared similar sentiments.
She remains at the Bonner County Jail on a $1 million bond.
Police arrested Richard and Katherine Cowell Feb. 5 at their home in Naples, which also served as an unlicensed child daycare.
The daycare, Little Zookeepers Daycare, opened in 2019, with the alleged abuse taking place between 2012 and 2015, according to court documents. The daycare permanently closed six days after the couples’ arrest.
During a joint preliminary hearing on March 17, the alleged victims testified they were coerced into sexual relations with the couple as minors.
The first victim alleged that he was coerced into a sexual relationship with Katherin Cowell between the ages 15 and 17 years old. He told the court that he felt prompted to come forward after recognizing similar behaviors in other children to those that he experienced during the alleged abuse.
The day after the couple was arrested, the second victim came forward, informing law enforcement that she had faced coercion from Richard Cowell for a sexual relationship from ages 14 to 20.
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