Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.
A girl who is believed to have gone missing in 2012 and was feared dead at the age of seven years old has now been found.
After 12 years in captivity, the Colombian teenager managed to escape and has alleged a school bus driver in Medellin abducted her all those years ago.
Carlos Humberto Grisales Higuita has been arrested in connection to being her captor, and faces charges of raping a minor, producing child sexual abuse material, and kidnapping.
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A statement from the Colombian prosecutor's office explained Grisales Higuita was arrested by cops in Medellin, and that he did not accept the charges against him at the time.
The statement read in part: "The man, who worked as a school bus driver, allegedly detained a seven-year-old girl in early 2012 and took her to a house in the city center. He allegedly psychologically manipulated and sexually assaulted her, making her believe that such behavior was normal.
"During the course of the investigation, it was established that the victim's name was changed, she was transferred to different buildings in Medellín and Bello (Antioquia), she was taken out of school and kept incommunicado."
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It went on to explain how, when the girl turned 16 years old, she complained to her alleged captor about the treatment she was receiving, and in retaliation to her voicing her concerns, she claimed she was locked up in a house.
In February this year, the child, who is now in her late teens managed to break free and run to safety.
Speaking of the charges held against Grisales Higuita, the prosecutor's office added: "In this regard, a prosecutor from the Medellín Police Station charged him with the crimes of simple kidnapping, sexual abuse with a minor under 14 years of age, sexual acts with a minor under 14 years of age, and pornography with a person under 18 years of age, all aggravated behaviors."
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If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues or want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.
Topics: Crime, World News, Sexual Abuse
Joe Yates