Charges dismissed against Laney student accused of sexual assault

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office has dismissed charges against a Laney High School student accused of sexual assaulting a girl on campus.

Samantha Dooies with the district attorney’s office confirmed charges were dismissed on Thursday, pursuant to the prosecutor’s review of the evidence.

Darran Latrell Thomas, 16, was arrested earlier this month on two counts of second degree sexual offense and one count of second degree kidnapping.

Thomas and a 16-year-old girl were seen on surveillance video interacting and then going under a stairwell at the school. The girl allegedly said no and told him to stop.

But during an emotional first court appearance on October 2, Thomas’s mother told the court that her son told her the victim did not say no and that they parted ways after the incident supposedly happened.

Thomas was also suspended from Laney for 10 days.