Tuschen family seeking justice after rape of teen girl

The family of a 16-year-old Tuschen girl, who was allegedly raped twice at her home by another resident, is frustrated at the conduct of the police at the Leonora Police Station, saying they released the accused on station bail within 24 hours of his arrest.

Stabroek News was told that the first rape occurred on July 14, when as per normal the girl was left at home alone while her parents went to work.

The man, who is familiar to her, visited the home, where he had previously done work for her parents.

He is reported to have inquired of the girl whether any adults were there. She told him no and reportedly pushed the door in without securing it and proceeded into the kitchen. However, seconds later, the man was in the house and holding a knife against the girl’s body. He is accused of ordering her into the bedroom and raping her.

He is also accused of making threats to murder her father and sister if she told anyone about what happened.

The girl went without revealing what had happened to her but on August 11, the man is reported to have visited the home again and attacked her a second time. She was said to be at the back of the yard when she heard someone walking in her direction. Stabroek News was told that the perpetrator told the child he had seen her parents leaving a short while before and he subsequently dragged her by her hair into the home and inside the bedroom.

After the second episode, a source told this newspaper, the child reported the matter to a member of the Tuschen Policing Group, which led to the man being arrested and the child’s parents being informed of the attacks. The source added that man admitted to committing the act before the policing group.

The man was arrested on Friday afternoon and handed over to the Leonora Police Station but on the following day, he was seen riding a bicycle in the village. “People see him on Saturday afternoon riding around and he is only embarrassing the family, talking about what he did… The man even saying that he get $50,000 bail but he shove a $25,000 to a police at Leonora. What is really going on there?” the source questioned.

The child was said to be very ill after the attacks and up to yesterday had to be rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital. She is said to be experiencing extreme physical pain and she has also gone into a state of depression. “This thing tell on the girl nerves. She is very tiny for her age and like she just can’t handle it. Even the family business stagnated now because they have to be running with her to the hospital all the time,” a relative, meanwhile, pointed out.

It was stated that officials of the hospital had indicated that someone will visit the home to assist with counselling the girl but this has not been done.