A Utah woman who became the focus of a viral TikTok video after forcibly yanking down a teenage girl’s skirt at a restaurant has reached a plea agreement. The incident, which took place on April 20 in St. George, resulted in 49-year-old Ida Lorenzo being charged with misdemeanour sexual battery. The video, widely circulated online, quickly drew attention and backlash, with Lorenzo being labelled a “Karen” for her actions.
Details of the incident
The video, posted to TikTok on April 21, captured the moment Lorenzo confronted the young woman over her choice of attire. The caption accompanying the clip read: “Karen gets upset my friend is wearing a mini skirt, so she aggressively grabs it, yanks it down and says ‘you’re probably underage, you probably shouldn’t be wearing that’ then causes a scene in a busy restaurant.”
In the video, Lorenzo can be heard chastising the teenager, threatening to call Child Protective Services (CPS) if she saw the girl’s “ass cheeks hanging out again.” Lorenzo added, “I happen to work for the state, and if I have to watch your ass cheeks hanging out again I will call CPS.” The teenager, whose face is not visible in the video, was defended by her friends, who insisted that she was 19 years old and fully capable of making her own clothing choices. One friend responded, “You don’t get to touch her.”
Legal developments
Following the incident, Lorenzo contacted St. George police, claiming that her state job made the viral video a threat to her life, as stated in the probable cause affidavit. Lorenzo defended her actions by stating that the teenager was wearing “explicit clothing” without underwear, exposing her private parts in the presence of children. She claimed she pulled the skirt down to cover the girl’s “exposed genitalia.”
However, when questioned by police, Lorenzo denied touching the teenager directly, asserting that she only pulled down the skirt. The following day, the teenager reported to the police that she had been sexually assaulted at the restaurant. According to the affidavit, the teenager recounted feeling “cold hands” go up her skirt, touching her buttocks before the skirt was pulled down. She described the encounter as startling and felt violated by Lorenzo’s actions. Seven other witnesses corroborated the teenager’s account of the incident.
Plea deal and consequences
Lorenzo was initially charged with a class A misdemeanour sexual battery, but the charge was reduced to a class B misdemeanour as part of a plea deal reached on August 7, according to Washington County court records. Under the terms of the deal, no sentence will be imposed for a year as long as Lorenzo adheres to the conditions, which include undergoing a mental health evaluation, avoiding contact with the victim, and refraining from committing any crimes. In addition to the legal consequences, Lorenzo faced professional repercussions. On the same day she was charged, she received a termination letter from the Utah Attorney General’s office, where she had worked as a legal secretary for less than two months.
The case highlights the complexities and ramifications of actions that go viral on social media, as well as the legal and personal consequences for those involved. Lorenzo’s plea deal marks the end of a highly publicized case, though the impact of the incident continues to resonate both online and in the local community.