Couple gets probation for "educational" sex

BOSTON (Reuters) - A Rhode Island woman who routinely had sex with her boyfriend in front of her 9-year-old daughter to teach her about sex was sentenced to three years' probation, authorities said Tuesday.

Rebecca Arnold, 37, and David Prata, 33, who received the same sentence this week, told investigators they thought the practice would help the child to learn, prosecutors said.

"Basically, and I'm tempted to say idiotically, they believed it was helpful to the girl, Ms. Arnold's daughter; they believed it was helpful to her development to see them engaging in various sex acts in front of her," said Mike Healey, spokesman for state attorney general Patrick Lynch.

The pair told investigators that they allowed the girl to watch their sexual romps but did not compel her to.

Rhode Island Chief Family Court Judge Jeremiah Jeremiah Jr. allowed the couple from the city of Woonsocket to plead guilty and accept probation, instead of jail time, because he wanted to spare the girl the pain of a trial, local media said.

The girl mentioned the activity to her father while visiting him in Massachusetts and he reported the incident to authorities, Healey said.