Court arrests two people in rape of 14-year-old Bartın girl

ISTANBUL

Hürriyet Photo

A court has ordered the arrest of two of 23 suspects in the alleged sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl in the western Black Sea province of Bartın, Anatolia news agency reported.

The principal of the local primary school reported the incident to a prosecutor March 19 after discovering text messages on her mobile phone.  During a meeting with a psychologist, pedagogical expert and welfare officer, the girl said she had been raped and provided the names of the suspects.

Police forces took 23 suspects into custody although only two were arrested.

The prosecutor said the investigation had revealed that "the girl's mental state hadn’t developed properly” and that she had suffered psychological problems due to her parents’ divorce.

The problems led her to have many consensual relations with the suspects apart from two separate incidents of sexual abuse and sexual harassment, the prosecutor said.

The girl has been placed under protection amid the continuing investigation.