CLEVELAND, TEXAS — Eighteen people have been arrested in the alleged gang rape of an 11-year-old girl in a small town just north of Houston, Texas, officials said Monday.
Cleveland, Texas Police Department Darrell Broussard told CNN that 18 people, aged 14 to 27, had been arrested, but with ongoing investigations revealing further leads, more people could be detained.
Late last year, the 11-year-old girl was allegedly raped at one of the suspects’ home and at an abandoned mobile home by several teenage students and adults.
According to official records, one of the suspects, Timothy Ellis, 19, asked the girl if she wanted to go ‘ride around’ before ending up at his home. At his bedroom, the girl was told to take off her clothes, threatening her that if she did not comply, a group of girls would ‘beat her up’ and she would not be taken back home.
The arrest warrant later states that several individuals had sex with the girl while others took pictures and videos, but Ellis’ aunt arrived shortly after, prompting everyone to flee. The acts later continued at an abandoned mobile home.
While several students say the girl was willing to have sexual relations with the men, arguing that she looked well over 11, many residents believe the suspects deserve the maximum punishment, which in this case of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child under 14, is life in prison.
