Brazilian Police Confirm Teenage Girl Was Gang Raped

05/31/2016 - 09h33

Less than 24 hours after taking responsibility for the investigation into the case of the 16-year-old adolescent girl who was raped in the Barão slum in Rio's western region, officer Cristiana Bento confirmed that she doesn't have any doubts that there was indeed a rape and called for the arrest of six of the suspects in the crime.

Two of them had been taken into custody as of Monday night, the 30th.

"I am convinced that rape occurred. It's clear from the video, which shows a guy manhandling the girl. The rape has been proved. What I want now is to verify the extent of this rape, how many people took part in this crime", the officer said.

The investigation started after a video of the adolescent girl, naked and unconscious, was posted on social networks last Tuesday, the 24th.

The first two suspects detained were football player Lucas Perdomo, 20, who was with the victim the night of the crime and is referred to as her boyfriend, and Rai de Souza, 22, who testified that he had had sex with a minor and had recorded the video that was distributed on the internet. Both are in custody and are suspects of rape, but both deny it.

The examination of the victim carried out by the Legal Medical Institute found no evidence of wounds or biological material. The results, however, do not mean that rape didn't take place. According to the police, the report was compromised by the time between the crime and the exam.

Bento took over the investigation on Sunday, the 29th, from officer Alessandro Thiers, who was removed from the case at the request of the Prosecutor.

The adolescent said she had been uncomfortable and embarrassed by the officer, who raised doubts about her version of the crime.

The acting Governor of Rio, Francisco Dornelles (PP), referred to rape as "the most heinous of crimes". "And if it depended on me, would be punishable by the death penalty".

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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	Ricardo Moraes - 30.mai.2016/Reuters
	Rai de Souza (L), 22, suspected of being involved in the gang rape of a teenage girl, is escorted at the Police Station for crimes against minors in Rio