Gymnast says she sang ‘stranger danger’ song about NC coach accused of sexual assault
Students of Bull City Gymnastics coach Stephen Maness would sing a “stranger danger” song about what he would do to them.
“Stranger danger, stranger danger. Here he comes, here he comes. He’s going to stroke you and molest you,” a former gymnast said Thursday, recounting the song.
The gymnast, a teenager, testified at the Durham County Courthouse in the case of Maness, a former coach who is accused of sexually assaulting minors.
The mother of another former student also testified that she was familiar with the “stranger danger” song in reference to Maness, but believed the girls had made it up as a joke.
But she learned it was about their coach who has since been charged with four counts of sexual battery and four counts of indecent liberties with a minor.
In opening arguments on Wednesday, the state said their case would show that Maness “repeatedly and systematically crossed the line” while coaching girls from about 2013 to 2020.
Maness’s defense attorney, Melissa Owen, continued her assertion that they made in opening arguments: that Maness was an elite gymnastics coach and that type of high-level instruction requires lots of “hands-on training.”
‘Uncomfortable’ moments
On Thursday, one of Maness’s previous students and the mother of a former student testified to the jury of six women and six men. They spoke to the statement about “crossing the line” by describing how he would touch the girls during private morning massage sessions and while he was spotting them during their bar routines.
They testified that Maness pulled girls’ clothing up to expose their buttocks, touched their breasts and put his hands inside of their leotards to touch their vaginas. One witness testified that this would happen every week.
“It was so uncomfortable and I didn’t want to do it,” the former student said. “I didn’t want to be there and didn’t want to be stretching anymore.”
She testified that Maness would say “I love you” after the stretching sessions. There was also pressure to say “I love you” back to him, especially after practice when the girls would give the coaches hugs, she said.
One time, the former student did not say “I love you” when she gave him a hug.
“He said, ‘You don’t love me?’” she testified. “I didn’t know what would happen if I didn’t say I love you.”
But the defense argued that Maness would give massages as physical therapy for the girls’ injuries. Owen said the physical contact during spotting and stretching was to prevent any future injuries.
During questioning, Owen showed multiple videos of Maness spotting gymnasts during bar routines.
“[Is it] fair to say in these videos we saw touching of breasts, butts, hips during that spotting?” Owen asked.
But the former student said that the way Maness touched her was different from the videos and from other coaches at the studio.
“He would hold in-between my legs or closer to my thighs in ways that weren’t necessary,” she said. “Other coaches would hold my calves or my shins and father away from parts that aren’t supposed to be touched.”
What did parents witness?
Owen said there were cameras in the gym and observation decks where parents could watch practice. When the mother of a former student took the stand, Owen asked whether she ever had an indication that Maness’s physical contact had sexual intent.
“Plenty of times it would make me uncomfortable, but as you sit there in a room with plenty of people doing the same thing you doubt yourself,” the parent said. “Bars were the furthest part of equipment from the parent viewing area. You can’t see a finger slip inside.”
The judge also heard Thursday from a second former gymnast without the presence of the jury. This testimony is under deliberation to see whether it will be admitted into the trial.
The trial is expected to last up to two weeks.
This story was originally published July 14, 2023 at 5:45 AM.
