Philadelphia Police Investigating Reported Sexual Assault Of 12-Year-Old Girl In West Philadelphia
By Elizabeth Hur
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - What reportedly happened inside a recreation center in West Philadelphia is at the center of a police investigation.
Police say the alleged victim is a 12-year-old girl. She told police she was raped by four 14-year-old boys.
Omar Jordan works as a volunteer and runs a youth basketball league at the facility. He recalled, "Her bra was ripped off."
Jordan says he could not believe his eyes. A fellow volunteer first spotted the 12-year-old visibly upset, Jordan then rushed over to help.
"She looked real shaken up, really scared. She really didn't want to talk to nobody, but she tried to vent to us to let us know what happened so we can go ahead and take the next step and the logical next step was to call the police," Jordan explained.
Police say they were called to Francis Myers Recreation Center at the corner of 58th Street and Kingsessing Avenue shortly after 7:30 Monday evening. When officers arrived, the 12-year-old told police she was sexually assaulted in the third floor landing of a stairwell in the back of the building. She told police, the culprits are four boys, all 14-years-old. We're told the girl's father arrived just as soon as he heard the news.
Jordan said, "He was really upset like he really wanted to hurt somebody."
Police spent the night processing the scene and trying to get to the bottom of this. Meanwhile, some say if true, the allegations make them sick.
"It hurt me a lot because it could have been my daughter, my cousin or my nieces," Jordan said.
Police told Eyewitness News the 12-year-old was first interviewed by Special Victims investigators then taken to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for an examination.
As of late Monday night, police had not made any arrests and their investigation was continuing.
