Greater than 80 days after a lacking 14-year-old lady was present in a Camp Pendleton barracks, her household says they’ve acquired few particulars in regards to the investigation or those that introduced the lady onto the army base.
Casaundra Perez, the lady’s aunt, alleges her niece was raped by a Marine on the bottom north of San Diego and, in an interview with the Los Angeles Instances, mentioned army police on the base questioned her niece with no guardian current earlier than notifying her household that she had been discovered. The aunt continues to be involved in regards to the investigation and mentioned she worries that investigators have tried to put some blame on her niece and get the incident “swept underneath the rug.”
“(Investigators) had been accusing (my niece) of speaking with the Marine, and saying that he was her boyfriend, however she does not even know the Marine’s identify,” Perez mentioned.
Perez mentioned the household is working with CommunityX, a company that organizes petitions, calls to motion and fundraisers by “digital activism,” to boost consciousness of her niece’s case.
An on-line petition created by Perez is demanding that the identify of the Marine be launched to the household, that an neutral investigation be accomplished and that Camp Pendleton undertake measures to forestall related incidents. The petition has garnered greater than 7,000 signatures.
“Eighty-five days since this occurred, and the id of the accused remains to be not being launched, both privately to the household, to the sufferer, or to the general public,” mentioned Chloe Cheyenne, founding father of CommunityX.
In an announcement, a spokesperson for the Naval Legal Investigative Service confirmed the investigation remains to be energetic and that no costs have been filed.
NCIS declined to supply another particulars, citing the continued investigation.
“As at all times, NCIS is dedicated to completely investigating any allegation of legal conduct that threatens the Division of the Navy’s readiness and the protection of youngsters within the communities the place our household stay and work,” mentioned spokesperson Jeff Houston in an announcement.
NCIS has beforehand confirmed that it took a Marine with Fight Logistics Battalion 5 in for questioning on the day the lady was discovered.
Officers with the first Marine Logistics Group didn’t instantly reply to inquiries in regards to the case.
Perez mentioned the household has acquired calls from detectives who mentioned the investigation is transferring alongside however supplied few particular particulars.
The household has been notably involved that the Navy has not issued a army protecting order, or MPO, which is usually issued to forestall army personnel underneath investigation from contacting alleged victims. The MPO, family mentioned, would have additionally revealed the Marine’s identify to the lady and her household.
The lady went lacking June 10 from her dwelling in Spring Valley, in San Diego County, and Perez mentioned she spent June 27 and 28 on the base earlier than she was found.
She mentioned her niece doesn’t know the Marine who introduced her onto the bottom. Investigators initially advised the household that the lady had been in communication with the Marine, however Perez suspects her niece was offered to the Marine for intercourse, although she supplied no proof.
She additionally questioned how the Marine was in a position to carry a minor onto the bottom.
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