Mother Of 8-Year-Old Sexual Assault Victim Outraged, Demanding Accountability
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Prosecutors are now charging a teenage boy who is accused of sexually assaulting a young female patient at Western Psych.
Meanwhile, the girl's mother is demanding accountability. She says she brought her daughter to the facility for help. She tells KDKA that she is outraged.
The alleged incident happened Friday night; an 8-year-old brought in for emergency psychiatric treatment, put alone in a playroom with a 14-year-old boy who is being described as severely mentally ill.
"Friday night they attack her in the playroom; a boy attacked her in the playroom," the victim's mother said.
According to police, a 14-year-old boy with a significant history of mental illness sexually assaulted the 8-year-old in the playroom. All of it caught on surveillance tape.
"They found her in the playroom. They didn't know how long she was in there. She had her pants down to her ankles and she was near a boy," the victim's mother said. "And that's all they would say to me."
The girl's mother says her daughter is traumatized by the incident.
"She's been scared to go out in public. I have to go in the bathroom stalls with her now. She always insists on having all of her stuffed animals up on the bed with her. I let her sleep in my bed with me now; she's been having bad nightmares. She's terrified and it's not right."
Sources say the 14-year-old has been hospitalized nearly 20 times since he was 6-years-old.
Sources say they are hopeful the criminal charges filed against the 14-year-old will be a way of keeping him institutionalized for several years.
One source described the teenager as a deeply disturbed young man.
KDKA's Marty Griffin: "How do they allow this boy alone with your 8-year-old girl?"
Victim's Mother: "I have no idea."
"I'm very upset, believe you me," she adds. "I can't even think straight half the time I'm so mad."
The specific charges include one count of indecent involuntary deviant sexual intercourse and two counts of indecent assault.
The District Attorney cannot comment on a juvenile case other than to say they are working with police.
Also, there's no comment from UPMC, they are prohibited by federal law.
RELATED LINKS:
Teen Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Girl At Western Psych (3/12/13)
More Reports from Marty Griffin
