5 boys charged in girl's rape
The counts reportedly include sex assault and kidnapping
THE FIVE juvenile suspects arrested in the sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl at a park last week were charged Tuesday, according to a source close to the case.
The charges against the suspects, who range in age from 11 to 15 years old, include first-degree sexual assault, third-degree sexual assault and kidnapping. Because of confidentiality laws that protect juveniles in the Family Court system, details about which charges were filed against each suspect were not made public.
However, a source close to the case said only the oldest suspect was charged with all three offenses, and the youngest suspect in the case was charged with third-degree sexual assault.
Myron Takemoto, the attorney for the 15-year-old suspect, could not be reached for comment.
Rick Sing, attorney for the 11-year-old suspect, said only, "I can tell you I represent him, he's 11 and he's scared."
Attorneys for the other suspects refused to comment about the case or even confirm whether their clients had been charged.
The five boys were arrested Saturday after the alleged attack at Beretania Community Park on Nov. 22. The girl and an 11-year-old friend were walking home from an event at Central Intermediate School at 7:45 p.m. when one of the boys allegedly pulled her to a playground slide and sexually assaulted her, then called five other boys to do the same.
One of the boys hit the girl in the face, her mother said. A sixth boy tried to stop the others, her daughter told her, so will not face charges.
Steven Rodrigues, the father of the girl's friend, said his daughter tried to call for help during the attack, but some of the boys held her mouth.
"They was holding her mouth and she was screaming," Rodrigues said of his daughter.
"When they let her go, (the victim) told her, 'Go, run, get help.'"
An average of 12 juveniles a year are arrested in rape cases, according to Honolulu Police Department statistics.
Police records show there have been 60 juveniles arrested for investigation of rape over the last five years, with most of the cases involving juvenile victims. Those who work with juvenile sex offenders said in many cases they see signs of potential problems prior to a sexual assault being committed.
"We see the beginnings, such as sexual harassment at school ... harassment that could escalate," said Barbara Mullen, director of the Child Sex Abuse Treatment Program for Hawaii Catholic Charities.
"And then there's the occasional, very aggressive peer assault like this one." Mullen said. "Often this kind of thing is more of a result from kids who are angry. ... It's not common."