TWO suspects are in police custody and the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) has intervened after a seven-year-old girl was snatched from her bedroom in the wee hours of Friday and raped by an 18-year-old boy in Region Seven.

This was confirmed by Division Commander, Superintendent Dion Moore, who noted that when the investigations are completed, a file will be submitted for legal advice.
Reports indicate that the child’s mother retired to bed just around 22:00h Friday with her youngest child, while the seven year-old and her brother, went to sleep in a separate room.

In another section of the media, the mother related that she was awoken at around 3:00h and noticed her son in her bed and upon checking on her daughter, she discovered her missing.
The mother of three said neighbours formed a search party since the area was bushy.
However, the mother expressed her dissatisfaction at the actions of the police who were contacted to help the family in the search. She was told by the ranks that a missing person’s report will have to be filed after 24 hours before their intervention.

Subsequently, two police officers arrived at the location to take the mother to the police station to file the report, but she refused to leave the search for her daughter.
The child was later found naked by relatives in a bushy area leading to a creek. The mother wrapped her daughter in a towel and travelled to the police station in an attempt to get the matter sorted out as soon as possible, so she can then transport the child to seek medical attention.

However, because of the delay in taking the statement at the police station, the mother took the seven-year-old to the hospital where she was admitted in a stable condition.

Residents of the community had related that the suspect was a known character in the community and was involved in theft at multiple homes in the district.