4 teenagers arrested for rape of 7 year-old in Trenton

Sunday, 04 April 2010 07:36

15 year-old in custody for selling little sister at party

BY ALICIA CRUZ

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Trenton police have made additional arrests in the rape of girls at the Rowan Towers apartment complex last week.

Three teenaged boys, ages 13, 14 and 17 and 19-year-old Timear Lewis have all been arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault and child Endangerment in connection with the rape of the seven-year-old girl.

Trenton police made the announcement of the new arrests at a press conference held at police headquarters on Saturday night.

Investigators have said that the seven-year-old followed her 15-year-old stepsister to a party at the Rowan Towers on March 28 where the older sister took money from men and boys at the party to engage in sex.

At some point, the older sister allowed several of the males to touch her younger sister for money. The touching graduated to rape as seven of the males allegedly raped the little girl. Afterwards, the child left and was walked home.

The parents were in the process of reporting both girls as runaways when the seven-year-old returned home accompanied by strangers.

The 15-year-old sister was charged with aggravated sexual assault, criminal Restraint, terrorist Threats and endangering the welfare of a child and remanded to the Mercer County Youth Detention Center. Her name has yet to be released.

Captain Joseph Juniak told NewJerseyNewsroom.com that detectives have been and will continue to work around the clock.

"We need the community to continue helping us. This is going to be a lengthy investigation, but we will not stop until everybody that was in that apartment and participated in these crimes is arrested," Captain Juniak told NewJerseyNewsroom.com.

Mayor Doug Palmer said, "We're not finished because everyone who is responsible is still not arrested. The police will not rest until we get every individual who was involved in this."

On Thursday, the Mayor met with the victim, her parents and other family members at his office where he gave the little girl a stuffed rabbit for Easter. He encouraged the community to embrace the victim's family, who Palmer says are undergoing therapy and may be permanently relocated away from the area.

"They (the parents) were understandably upset," said Mayor Palmer. "They felt like they were victims. They said, 'People are blaming us.' We need to stop pointing fingers at the family members. These rapists are the problem, not the family."

These latest arrests bring the number of suspects in custody to five. Gregory Joseph Leary, 20, who was arrested Wednesday evening, has charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, in regards to the 15 year-old girl.

Comments (8)

the dudes included in the incident need to get shot, and the older sister needs to get bitch slapped!!!!!!!!!!

What made this 15 year old girl think that money was more important that the love for her 7 year old sister? I blame sexually explicit videos, sexually explicits songs and rap, neglectful parents, and a mindset that thinks it can do anything it wants and get away for it. I pray for all involved -- this will be a hard one from which to recover.

Trivera! Don't blame the victim! The parents did not give permission to this child to follow her step sister to this party or anywhere at all. If you read the story, both children were reported missing by the parents. This innocent child knew that her sister was going to a bad place and the sweet child thought she could protect her by being there. Maybe she thought no one would hurt her if they saw that a young child was there (I'm not sure what the 7 year old was thinking). This little girl could have easily been anyone's child. don't think your children are protected from the world because you want them to be. many children are raped by people they know... or in this case sold into a violent gang rape by one of her closest family members. This innocent little girl was betrayed by the person who SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROTECTING HER. To me, this fifteen year old step sister is sicker than all the men that raped this 7 year old and should also be tried as an adult. She is the reason this little girl was gang raped.

Comments (1)

Okay 15 year old step sister and 7 yr old victim... why on earth would a 7 yr old child go and follow behind her step sister or blood sister without notice of the parents... my 7 yr old daughter is gone no where to be found I'm would start making phone calls asking where how and who.... or were the parents knowingly and willingly allowed there 7 yr old daughter to wonder the streets with her 15 yr old sister after dark... parties are usually after hours meaning after 5pm.... even to the corner grocery store is still bad parenting if in this case the parents allowed there child to leave..... come on now aren't they lucky she wasn't another shaniya davis...... people have to wake up and smell the coffee tht is brewing.... parents still should be held accounted for.... if a child ran outside while the parents were in their home and was hit by a car or wondering the streets by self and parents not watching them.... which is called neglect would be punish.... the parents neglected their 7yr old daughter point blank..... time it took to get to party up to the time she arrived home with strangers and parents were about to call police.... neglect should be punished

As the Mayor, I would immediately evict any person who took part in the rape of this poor child. I have a feeling tax payers are probably paying section 8 for these animals to breed on the taxpayers dime. I don't care if the rapist is a child themselves, the parents are indeed accountable for their child's behavior. The teenagers should all be tried like an adults. Too bad we don't have a "secret Police" to deal with these people. The 15 year old sister, I would allow the family to take care of her or maybe a little Middle East "stoning" is in order. This entire incident makes me sick. Make sure these animals are punished. My prays go out to the little girl.

Please, save us taxpayers some money by executing all of these sickos immediately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This Mayor needs to be commended for his response. This is a degradation of societal norms that needs immediate attention, response and repudiation - not only by elected officials but by everyone in that community.

How is it NOT ONE person at that party let alone that very sick 15 year old sister didn't attempt to report or stop this!

That's a group think gang mentality that has become so dangerous in today's world.

This is something so hanius that everyone involed should have life in prision.. This should of never happened to this little girl.. She will never be the same.. They all should rot in jail... There lucky this wasn't my kid because they would all be burning in hell right now..

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4 teenagers arrested for rape of 7 year-old in Trenton

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