Four young boys suspected of raping 8-year-old Arizona girl

From the BNO Newsroom.
A photo of the 14-year-old suspect and a photo from the crime scene has been released.

PHOENIX, Arizona (BNO NEWS) -- Four young boys are being suspected of raping an 8-year-old girl, the Phoenix police department announced on Wednesday evening.

The crime took place last Thursday, at approximately 5.15 p.m. local time, when four boys as young as 9 lured the girl into a vacant storage shed by offering her some chewing gum.

The girl was then restrained while the four suspects, ages 9, 10, 13, and 14, sexually assaulted her. All the suspects, except one, reside with their families in the same apartment complex.

About 15 minutes after the girl was lured into the storage shed, at 5.31 p.m. local time, Phoenix police officers responded to an emergency radio call of an "unknown trouble" with a young girl screaming hysterically as she ran out of a storage shed partially clothed. Several boys were seen running away from the area while one suspect, Steven Tuopeh, was caught by officers at the scene.

After questioning and further investigation, the identities of all suspects and multiple witnesses, all children, were revealed.

On Tuesday, all four suspects were arrested without incidents while they were at their homes. Patrol officers also assisted the Child Protective Services with removing the victim from the custody of her parents, who, according to detectives, blamed the child for being victimized and brining "shame" to their family.

Only one of the suspects, the 14-year-old boy, has been publicly identified. He was identified as Steven Tuopeh, 14-year-old. Tuopeh has been detained at the juvenile corrections center and has already been remanded as an adult for two counts of sexual assault and one count of kidnapping.

The three other boys have also been detained at the same center. The 9-year-old boy has been charged with one count of sexual assault, the 10-year-old boy with two counts of sexual assault and one count of kidnapping. The 13-year-old has been charged with two counts of sexual assault and one count of kidnapping.

All four suspects were interviewed and have admitted planning and involvement in the sexual assault of the young girl. In addition to the statements by the suspects and independent witnesses, physical and medical evidence developed probable cause for the arrests and detention of the four suspects.

Stay with bnonews.com and "BreakingNews" on Twitter for the latest up-to-the-minute news updates. Also sign up to receive an e-mail alert as soon as major breaking news stories happen by clicking here.

 ###