Suspects allegedly raped 12-year-old girl and distributed video to classmates; more arrests expected.
By BEN HARTMANHandcuffs (illustrative photo) 370(photo credit: Reuters)
A total of 12 boys ages 13 and 14 have been arrested for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl and filming and distributing a video of the act.Tel Aviv police said Sunday the case is highly a sensitive and severe one, which they have placed at the top of their priorities. The story came to their attention just recently, when police received a video of the act.They were not tipped off by a parent.Investigators suspect there were other incidents that took place, but that the main one in question was at the students’ school.Police said the girl was not dragged into the school or violently forced there against her will, rather, that she was pressured and unable to give her consent and unable to express her opposition to the acts.The video in question was sent out by the students to their classmates after the act, police said, and eventually made its way into the hands of the youth crimes investigations department of the Dan subdistrict.On Sunday morning three suspects were brought for a hearing at the juvenile crimes court in Tel Aviv, and another three will be brought in on Monday.Police said they expect the number of arrests to continue to grow, as each time a suspect is brought in his testimony has lead to other suspects.
