Woman charged with abducting girl, 5, from school rejects plea deal; jury selection underway
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A woman charged with abducting a 5-year-old from a Philadelphia classroom and sexually assaulting the girl has rejected a plea offer.
Jury selection is underway Monday in the trial of 21-year-old Christina Regusters of Philadelphia.
She is the lone person charged in the case, although both the defense lawyer and the girl's family believe others were involved.
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The young victim is expected to testify during the two-week trial.
Defense lawyer Fred Harrison says Regusters rejected a plea offer. He hopes that the trial testimony will provide new evidence.
Police say the girl was taken from her classroom in January 2013 by a woman posing as her mother, and was abandoned the next morning at a chilly playground.
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The family has filed a lawsuit accusing the school district of "reckless indifference."