A second juvenile was set to be arrested in connection with the livestreamed rape of a 15-year-old girl in March, and Chicago police said Sunday other offenders remained on the loose – including an adult.
Police arrested a 14-year-old male late Saturday and had on Sunday obtained an arrest warrant for a 15-year-old male, whom they expected “to be arrested soon,” Area Central Detective Commander Brendan Deenihan said during a news conference.
The investigation into the March 19 incident was proceeding slowly due to the difficulty the victim was having discussing the ordeal she underwent, Deenihan said. Her distress had been compounded by social media “bullying” about the rape.
“She’s extremely traumatized from this event, obviously,” Deenihan said. “…She’s gonna need help for a long time after this.”
Police said the girl knew at least one of the alleged offenders and that she was “lured” to a North Lawndale residence where the rape occurred.
“And from there she was not allowed to leave and she didn’t consent to what occurred,” Deenihan said.
"She's gonna need help for a long time after this."
The girl’s rape was livestreamed on Facebook and a police spokesman said the video had about 40 live viewers – none of whom called authorities.
“We’ve seen a couple of acts in this city now in a couple of months involving social media, and it just disgusts me that people would not pick up the phone and dial 911,” Superintendent Eddie Johnson said. “It makes you wonder, where are we going – what are we doing as a society?”
Johnson was initially approached on March 21 by the girl’s mother, who was “desperately seeking help.” She showed Johnson still pictures of the rape.
“I was visibly upset from what I saw,” Johnson said. “No woman should ever be treated the way this young woman was.”
Police previously said five or six males were involved in the attack, but, authorities declined on Sunday to provide a specific number of alleged perpetrators.
The teenager already in police custody was expected to be charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault, manufacturing of child pornography and dissemination of child pornography.
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