‘Karen’ in viral video faces sexual battery charge for pulling down teen’s skirt at Utah restaurant

ST. GEORGE, UT (ABC4) — In a TikTok video that went viral this week, a woman who describes herself as a Utah state employee can be seen justifying pulling down a teenage girl’s miniskirt in the lobby. a St. George restaurant. While she had threatened to call the authorities on the teenager, she is now the one facing criminal charges.

In the video recorded Saturday evening at Sakura Japanese Steakhouse, Ida Ann Lorenzo reprimands the teen, telling her that if she should see the teen’s “cheeks sticking out again,” she will call Child Protective Services. She later complained to police that video of the confrontation posted on various social media platforms referred to her as “Karen.”

VIDEO: ‘Tornado-like’ funnel appears over Salt Lake County

Lorenzo, 48, is accused of sexual assault. Documents filed Wednesday in 5th District Court show Lorenzo, of Santa Clara, faces a single count of a Class A misdemeanor. She was jailed, but has since been released.

According to a probable cause statement, Lorenzo self-reported the incident the night it happened, telling dispatch that the teen had her skirt “pushed up above her vagina and buttocks,” exposing her pubic hair. Because restaurant staff and parents failed to act, Lorenzo said she took it upon herself to pull down the teen’s skirt because young children were present.

Later that night, she called 911 again, this time saying a video of the aftermath had been posted online, with her name on it, insinuating she had committed a crime of a sexual nature. Lorenzo explained that because she holds a state position, she believed it was a “threat to her life,” the police report states.

In an interview with a St. George police officer Sunday, Lorenzo said that when she pulled down the teen’s skirt, the girl she believed to be underage ignored her, so she threatened to call the police. child protection to file an indecent exposure report. This is consistent with what appears in the viral video, in which the victim is described as being 19 years old.

The officer asked Lorenzo why she thought it was appropriate to touch another person. She responded by saying that she had only touched the girl’s skirt. To this, the officer stated that such an act still constituted criminal behavior and was not appropriate, the police report states.

On TikTok, the initial video of the aftermath was viewed nearly 2 million times, and police noted that the footage “clearly showed (Lorenzo) approaching the women,” touching them and threatening to call the authorities.

On Monday, the teen whose skirt was pulled down called police, claiming she had been sexually assaulted. She told investigators that Lorenzo came up behind her without warning, touched her buttocks and pulled down her skirt. The incident left her “surprised” and “violated,” the police report states. Several witnesses also filed similar reports with the police.

The teen provided police with a video of herself in a skirt that evening, and she explained that she was wearing underwear and that it would have been impossible for her pubic hair to be exposed, as claimed. Lorenzo said.

Utah NHL team blown away by fan reception

Before her arrest, Lorenzo denied touching the teen’s skin and repeated that she thought the teen was naked upskirt, the police report states. The officer told Lorenzo that even though the teenager was naked below the skirt, her actions still met the criminal elements of a sexual assault. She was booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane on Wednesday.

Social media videos related to the incident indicate that Lorenzo’s social media profiles indicated she worked for Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes. ABC4 reached out to Reyes’ office to verify if Lorenzo holds a position there, but the station has not yet received a response.

For breaking news, weather, sports and streaming videos, visit ABC4 Utah.