Just when you think you've heard all there is to hear about the horrors of child abuse and neglect in this country, there's this horrifying report: An eight-year-old girl is allegedly gang-raped by four boys -- one of them her cousin -- and then rejected by her parents for shaming them. You heard me.
The victim hails from a Liberian enclave in Arizona, and all of the children involved are refugees. Her 23-year-old sister, who was supposedly babysitting when four boys attacked the youngster in a storage shed (pictured), told KTVK in Arizona, "She always bring trouble...I came to her and said it's not good for you to be following guys because you are still little." If the girl, who is now in foster care, were to come home, her sister says she would be scolded. "She's just bringing confusions among us," she said.
Meanwhile, the child's mother is denying that anything happened to her daughter, telling KTVK that no one touched her. The father told KTVK that he wants his daughter back, although the authorities dispute that claim. They say she had to be removed from the home because the family blames her.
Police say the boys, ranging in age from 9 to 14, lured the victim into the shed with chewing gum, held her down and sexually assaulted her. In a troubling development the eldest child is to be charged as an adult.
The family's reaction has been subject to a lot of speculation about cultural attitudes about rape in Liberia, a country that emerged from a bloody civil war in 2003 but is still suffering from an alarmingly high rate of sexual violence toward women and girls. However, Edwin Sele, the deputy ambassador of Liberia to the United States, responded to the incident by saying, "Having heard the story myself, I'm outraged. In Liberia, the family and law enforcement officers would be embracing the victim. To hear that the family is not doing that, that should be an isolated case."
Video of the family's reaction to the alleged crime is above. Take a look, if you can stomach it, and then join the discussion among BV members.
Comments: (55)
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By: upset citizen on 7/23/2009 9:06PM
when I would hear of such an awful story they always would me white now our race (BLACK PEOPLE)
are doing realloy unthinkable crimes, as for the boys not prison but therapy for all involed.
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By: T.J. on 7/24/2009 3:12PM
NO, no no no. I disagree with you suggestion. I say deport those boys back to their country, but after serving time. And the kids of those parents need to be jailed right long with those rapists, plus have their kids taken away and put into foster care. These people are backward and twisted. NO doubt they are muslim, they have strange cultures...sick the whole lot of them. Deport them all.
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By: Lisa on 10/19/2009 3:55PM
Why must color be brought into every story? This is a horrific story about a little girl, a little girl! This isn't a competition Upset citizen. No one cares which race is worse than the other right now.
Therapy, uh NO. Send those boys packing. Let their country deal with them.
As for god not letting this happen again,urbanprincess, where was god the first time????? Look still not using my caps!
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By: Urbanprincess on 7/23/2009 8:41PM
Why must any crime, alleged rape, ect.. has to be by black people? This happens everywhere no matter what color you are? When I read this article, I didn't think of COLOR, I thought of an innocent young girl who was a victim of rape and that's a damn shame! This is disturbing and sad! Not only did the young girl cried for help from both her parents, they both denied any of the accusations? I pray that the young girl gets the help that she needs and doesn't go back to that family until they get some answers? I feel that the young girl will be safe from everybody.
I can't imagine what was going on in that young girls mind? You would think her family would be so supportive protective, understanding, sensitive, compassionate, and loving? WRONG! This makes me upset because, this young girl might grow up and go down the wrong path in life! I pray for the young girl and I know, God is watching over her and won't let nobody touch, abuse and mistreat her again!
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By: erica on 7/26/2009 5:53PM
that is the most ignorant thing to say. Rape happens to every culture and so what it happened to a african child i myself am nigerian and i know how it feels
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By: Urbanprincess on 7/23/2009 8:54PM
Why must any crime, alleged rape, ect.. has to be by black people? This happens everywhere no matter what color you are? When I read this article, I didn't think of COLOR, I thought of an innocent young girl who was a victim of rape and that's a damn shame! This is disturbing and sad! Not only did the young girl cried for help from both her parents, they both denied any of the accusations? I pray that the young girl gets the help that she needs and doesn't go back to that family yet until they get some answers? I feel that the young girl will be safe from everybody. I can't imagine what was going on in that young girls mind? You would think her family would be so supportive protective, understanding, sensitive, compassionate, and loving? WRONG! This makes me upset because, this young girl might grow up and go down the wrong path in life!
I pray for the young girl and I know, God is watching over her and won't let nobody touch, abuse and mistreat her again!
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By: Urbanprincess on 7/23/2009 9:31PM
I didn't think of color when I read this article. I thought of this poor innocent young girl who was a victim of a rape. This is disturbing and sad to me. I pray that the young girl get the help that she needs and stays away from her family until they find some answers. Family are suppose to be supportive, protective, loving, understanding, ect.. to their kids. This wasn't the case in this situation?
That little girl had nobody to turn to and everybody blamed her or didn't believe her? Something is wrong with this picture? The so-called 23 year-old sister didn't GIVE A DAMN and wasn't watching her. SHE IS TO BLAME just as much as the young girl's PARENTS! Then the sister going to tell the young girl she is to blame and it's her fault! This makes me MAD! To hear that a cousin was part in this, it sickens my stomach. Something is not right in that household and I hope that the young girl will be safe away from her family for right now. I pray for the little girl, the boys, and the family.
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By: gia on 7/23/2009 9:48PM
they are liberians... in((some)african and also in arabic cultures they view it this way.they are braiwashed thats why some go as far as to cover thier bodies and faces,they think rape shames the family. this is not what african americans believe in this country,and to say that is stupid if i look at my sex offender registry for where i am i dont see many blacks on there for rape,even tho most black men are in jail.i know those in thier for rape are beaten up by black men
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By: middleclass on 7/23/2009 9:55PM
The article said "LIBERIAN." Now, why did the articcle state this? Hmmmmm.....
There are alot of practices and beliefs held in countries like Liberia, Africa, etc., like female mutilation which is still practiced on little girls. The mothers help hold them down for this.
Oh well, some just don't realize, how good we ALL have it here in the United States of America.
FYI: This is a good example of REFUGEES and their beliefs which they do come with and are not the least bit ashamed. "It's the little girls fault."
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By: john on 7/23/2009 11:00PM
In those foreign countries a man's word is law, in this country a woman's word. Both countries are wrong in how the victims are punished and the crimes get away with their crimes male or female.
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