The former school teacher garnered worldwide attention when she got caught raping one of her students, then 13-year-old Vili Fualaau, in Seattle back in 1996.
- Jul 8, 2020
AceShowbiz - Mary Kay Letourneau, the former school teacher who was at the center of a national scandal in the late 1990s, has passed away after a battle with stage 4 cancer. Her former attorney confirmed the news on Tuesday night, July 7. She was 58.
Mary's son from her previous marriage, Steven Letourneau Jr., also issued a statement regarding her death. "We are deeply saddened to share the very difficult news that our beloved Mary passed away peacefully on July 6th 2020 after a six month battle since being diagnosed with stage IV, or metastatic, cancer. Mary fought tirelessly against this terrible disease," he said, asking others to respect their privacy.
He continued, "It is in that spirit that we ask for privacy and respect for our desire to focus on the road ahead for all of us who make up Mary's collective family. We ask that our boundaries and need for privacy be honored with continued kindness and understanding."
Mary garnered worldwide attention when it was found out that she raped one of her students, then-13-year-old Vili Fualaau, in Seattle in 1996. In the following year, when she was waiting for her sentence on second degree rape charges, Mary gave birth to their first child together.
She was ordered to stay away from Vili upon her release from jail, but authorities later found out that the pair resumed their relationship in 1998. As a result of that, she served a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence. In that same year, Mary gave birth to their second child behind the bars.
Mary and Vili later tied the knot in 2005, after she was released from prison. However, their marriage didn't last long as 12 years after the ceremony, Vili filed for divorce from her. It was not clear what the exact reason for their divorce was.
