LOS ANGELES (AP) Three members of a high school football team
have been charged in connection with the alleged rape of a
15-year-old girl but some school officials have complained that
authorities have not told them enough about the investigation.
The victim, a student at Fairfax High School who was enrolled in
night classes, went into a bathroom Aug. 2 where four teens, all
16, raped her, police Capt. Mike Downing said. Two of the boys were
arrested about a week later on the campus where they were attending
summer school. A third suspect later turned himself in and the
fourth is expected to do the same, police said.
The boys are charged with one count each of rape in concert,
said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles district
attorney's office. They are being held at the Eastlake Juvenile
Hall, and their cases will be heard in juvenile court.
Authorities said the suspects did not have criminal records, and
no alcohol or drugs were involved. Their names were not released
because of their ages.
A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Unified School District said
school officials have offered support to the victim's family.
``We are of course dismayed if this incident occurred as we are
being told it happened,'' Stephanie Brady said. ``We will remain
deeply concerned throughout the investigation on behalf of the
students involved.''
Brady said police detectives told school police not to discuss
the matter, publicly or internally.
``We have had nothing but difficulty getting information from
them,'' Brady said. ``There are people feeling like their hands are
tied.''
The school has not notified parents and cannot suspend the
suspects from school or the team until police tell them more.
Police said a school dean escorted detectives and school police
onto the campus when they arrested two of the boys.
``Our detectives went with Los Angeles Unified school police to
the dean and informed her of our intentions,'' Downing said. ``She
escorted us to a classroom. She facilitated calling both students
out of the classroom into the hallway where they were taken into
custody by LAPD detectives.''
Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com
(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)