PORT COQUITLAM, B.C. — Police have laid the first charges in the sexual assault of a teenaged girl who investigators say was drugged and raped by several males while others watched and posted pictures of the attack on Facebook.
A 16-year-old Maple Ridge boy made his first court appearance Wednesday, charged with one count of producing child pornography and another of distributing it.
“These charges stem from the taking of photos during a sex act and posting those photos on social networking sites,” Sgt. Peter Thiessen said in a news release.
An 18-year-old man was arrested earlier this month in the rape, and while charges have been recommended, they have not been laid. The man has been released while prosecutors consider the recommendation.
Last week, Mounties held a news conference to say two witnesses had come forward and investigators are hoping for much more co-operation.
The 16-year-old victim has returned to school and her family has said she is struggling to get her life back.
The RCMP has said the girl was assaulted on Sept. 10 at a party on a rural property in Pitt Meadows, east of Vancouver.
Police had at first described the attack as a gang rape and said there were multiple suspects. Investigators are only prepared to say “several” people were involved in the actual assault.
But Thiessen backed off the gang rape description last week, saying every time the term is used, it further victimizes the girl.