WATCH: Different states, different justice (w/ Sarah Hedlund and Diana Mondragon) – Cornhole Champions #42

Sarah Hedlund and Diana Mondragon were groomed and sexually abused by the same high school teacher 20 years ago – but their paths to justice couldn’t have been more different. Not because of the facts of their cases, but because of where they lived.

On this episode of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith sits down with the co-hosts of “Blooming After Grooming” to explore how a predator moved from Iowa to Illinois after Hedlund ended the relationship, and how state laws either support or fail survivors seeking accountability.

From Iowa’s restrictive statute of limitations to Illinois’ more progressive laws that still fell short, their story reveals the shocking gaps in our systems meant to protect children. Discover how Hedlund found Mondragon through a cold LinkedIn message, why the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners became the unlikely hero of their case, and what parents, educators, and students need to know about recognizing and preventing grooming.

Toss some bags at survivor accountability… the trauma onion that keeps peeling… and why “why now?” is the wrong question…

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.

SHOW RUNDOWN:
02:00 – Welcome to Cornhole Champions: Accountability and Healing
04:00 – How Two Survivors Found Each Other Through LinkedIn
05:30 – The Grooming Started: From Iowa to Illinois
09:00 – Different States, Different Laws, Different Outcomes
11:30 – Iowa’s Statute of Limitations vs Illinois’ Progressive Laws
12:30 – How Iowa Board of Education Became the Unlikely Hero
16:30 – The Trauma Onion: When Systems Fail to Protect
22:30 – Why Survivors Wait: The Average Age is 52

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