A 14-year-old girl from San Diego County was reported missing by her grandmother on June 13 and found in the barracks at the Camp Pendleton military base in California on June 28. The girl’s family alleges that she was sold for sex and raped by a US Marine, who has been taken into police custody. The Marine has not been identified, and because she's a minor, the girl also has remained unnamed. The teen’s aunt, Cassandra Perez, has spoken out on social media and said, “the whole facility allowed this to happen,” according to a video posted by notinregz on Instagram.
The teen girl has reportedly been returned to her grandmother and the Marine involved has not been formally charged, per the New York Post. The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force is involved in the investigation as well as NCIS, but neither has issued a statement.
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The 14-year-old girl was missing for 18 days before she was found.
The girl's grandmother shared that she had run away from home before but that she always came back, according to NBC News. She was reported missing on June 13, though she had run away from home four days earlier, the news outlet reported.
The media relations director for the sheriff’s department, Lt. David LaDieu, stated that NCIS was responsible for the investigation, adding, “the only involvement we have had is the recovery of the juvenile as she was listed missing from our jurisdiction,” according to NBC News.
A family member of the girl said the whole military facility should be held responsible.
Perez took to posting and sharing a video on social media saying that the military is trying to cover up the alleged rape that happened to her niece. She also said her niece has learning disabilities in addition to being a minor.
“The security looked her in the face and allowed this man to bring a minor onto base where he then proceeded to have sex with her. Due to her age, she could not have given this consent,” the girl's aunt stated in the video.
She also said pending approval from their family’s lawyer, they plan to release more details, including the military detective's name and phone number. She also asked the public to share the video so her niece’s case will not get covered up.
The Marine in question has been apprehended but has not yet been formally charged.
Chuck Palmer, captain of the Camp Pendleton 1st Marine Logistics Group, said a Marine with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 was taken in for questioning by NCIS on June 28, per the Post. He has not been charged, but a photo of the unidentified man has circulated on social media.
“This command takes this matter and all allegations very seriously,” Palmer said, per NBC News.
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People think that multiple parties and individuals involved failed this young teen and should be charged.
Commenters on the Post story pointed out that because of the nature of military bases being secure and in close quarters, there is no way that no other military staff or personnel saw the teen girl during the time she was at the base.
As one reader commented, “There is no way an unauthorized person can get on base, live in a barracks with 160 Marines roaming about including their Company office. Other than that, the Corps is going WOKE. Where were the Duty NCOs and Officer of the Day's Daily inspections?”
“No one noticed her in the barracks? What the hell is going on there?” another person commented.
“Wait a minute…. she was INSIDE the barracks and none of the other Marines reported this to the commanding officer? So, she was hidden? How? I can't believe not ONE person in his unit didn't report it," someone else wrote. "Something is off here and I suppose it will all be revealed soon. I hope that they weren't covering for him if you know what I mean and I hope the family gets help for her or she will just run away again, and it may end tragically.”
