STARKE, Fla. – A second woman has been arrested and accused of abusing her power as a cadre or supervisor to have a romantic relationship with a 16-year-old girl while working at Florida Youth Challenge Academy at Camp Blanding in Starke.
Ariana Durr, 24, is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old at the academy following the arrest of Libby Chrome, 27, who was arrested for the same accusations.
News4JAX spoke with a mother, who didn’t want to be identified. She said her child attended the camp for troubled teens and was one of Durr’s victims.
The mother said she wants justice for her child.
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“I was ecstatic. I’m happy that these people are being held accountable,” the mother expressed when asked about her reaction after learning Durr was arrested.
Although the arrest warrant was heavily redacted, the warrant states that there was enough probable cause to arrest Durr for having a romantic relationship while in a position of power, due to the teen’s emails, texts and statements.
The mother of Durr’s alleged victim had a message for parents to protect their children. “Try to keep an open dialogue because that’s how I found out about it. My daughter trusted me enough to tell me what was going on,” the mother said.
She also had a message for Durr.
“She needs to make better choices, and I’m just a little upset that her bond was so low. It should have been a little higher,” the mother said.
Durr and Chrome were fired from Florida Youth Challenge Academy as soon as the staff learned of the allegations earlier in the year.
The mother also told News4JAX that she plans to be in court for Durr to make sure her child gets justice. She still believes in the academy’s program but thinks they need to investigate their potential staff better before hiring them.
Though the teens and their parents see these two arrests as a victory, they believe there are more victims and predators.
If you know someone who may have been a victim at FLYCA, we would like to hear from you. Email jharris@wjxt.com