Mentally disabled 15-year-old girl brutally beaten by 'friends' in viral video was also sexually assaulted, say Chicago police
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: A 15-year-old girl with "special needs" who was seen being attacked and beaten by a group of "friends" in a shocking cellphone video may have also been sexually assaulted off-camera.
The victim had reportedly gone missing soon after the video went viral on social media, police said on Wednesday, July 24.
Chicago Police spokesperson Jose Jara, during a press conference, said: "That’s what I was told based on some initial testimony from the victim herself. The victim was interviewed. She did mention a couple of things besides what was on the video.”
The sickening video, which surfaced on social media on Monday, July 22, went viral and had over 120,000 views in less than 24 hours.
The clip showed a group of teenagers attacking the victim in Chicago's South Side. They were seen beating and punching the girl repeatedly as she broke down in tears.
Another spokesperson of the state police department, Anthony Guglielmi, in a tweet on Tuesday said: "This is beyond disturbing to watch and this young girl deserves far better. This clip has been forwarded to the #ChicagoPolice Special Victims Unit and a criminal investigation has been opened.”
The video was originally posted by a person who knew the victim: "I want justice for my friend. She didn't deserve any of this."
These girls jumped my friend Janise Harris who has a mental disability that has been progressing since the passing of her mother, I know this won’t blow up since I’m a small account but please, share and rt! I want justice for my friend, she didn’t deserve any of this. pic.twitter.com/yq3OkOlTkq
— 𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐚 *+🧚🏽♂️ (@D4MURE) July 23, 2019
It is not yet clear when exactly the incident occurred.
Police officials said that the teenager had been missing for at least five days before authorities were contacted by her family.
When the officials were asked why the family had waited so long, Officer Jara said: "I wish I could answer that question, but I don’t know the answer to that.”
Authorities said that the girl was located on Tuesday night and was taken to a hospital where she was treated for medical injuries and was eventually released into the care of her father, according to the New York Post.
Community activist Stringer Harris, while speaking to reporters on Wednesday, identified the group of teenagers attacking the teen in the video as six teens, including five girls and one boy between the ages of 15 and 18.
Police officers described the group of teens as the victims' "so-called friends."