Kristen Cunnane’s Sexual Abuse Story To Be Told On CBS’ “48 Hours”

NEW YORK, New York, October 15. KRISTEN Cunnane, the associate head coach for the UC-Berkeley women’s swimming team, was one of the few women in the sport to make her history of sexual abuse at the hands of an adult public in 2012. Two years later, her story will reach a mass audience as a feature on the CBS weekly show “48 Hours.”

”48 Hours” Video Preview

Set to air Saturday, reporter Tracy Smith highlights the events that transpired at Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School when Cunnane was sexually abused by science teacher Dan Witters and physical education teacher Julie Correa. Smith has an in-depth interview with Cunnane about the abuse and the mental anguish that led Cunnane to consider suicide, as well as a conversation with another former student at Joaquin Moraga named “Jane Doe” in the piece who was sexually abused.

The popular “48 Hours” show deals mostly with murder investigations, but Smith said Cunnane’s story had intrigued producers since she went public in 2012. When Smith became involved with production of the feature about six months ago, she felt it was in her best interest to get this story told to a wide audience.

“People sometimes snicker at these cases, and it was important to me to show that this is deadly serious and not to be taken lightly,” Smith said in a phone interview.

Smith said producers had hoped to air a feature much closer to Cunnane’s public announcement via her lawsuit against the Moraga School District in 2012, but took the time to allow Cunnane to get comfortable telling the most intimate details of the story. Smith said “my heart breaks for them” months after interviewing Cunnane and “Jane Doe,” adding that she is pleased that the story has an unusually happy ending for a “48 Hours” feature.

“(Cunnane) has this fabulous job and great swimmers on her team,” Smith said. “(Cal head coach) Teri McKeever has been amazingly supportive of Kristen, and that’s been great to see. She has a new baby and a loving husband. It’s great that there’s this positive outcome to it.”

“48 Hours” airs Saturdays on CBS at 10 pm Eastern and Pacific. Check your TV listings for actual air times.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

1 Comment
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Randy Lewis
Randy Lewis
9 years ago

This is so sad it sickens me to the core of my being, you wouldn’t think there is such depravity in this world but yes there is, it is real, and it is a sick as it gets, to trust a teacher & coach and be abused like this is sick beyond anything I could ever imagine

1
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x