Some stories are so indelibly painful they cause you to stop and pray for a random stranger. The story of a 7-year-old girl sold for sex by her older stepsister is one such tale. The two sisters were at a party in Trenton, New Jersey when the teen handed the younger girl money and told her to let men at the party touch her. The touching escalated to a gang rape of the 7-year-old by at least seven men.
The younger girl was later found crying outside the apartment. Neighbors took called the police who transported her to the hospital for treatment. Police have since arrested five men–ranging in age from 13-20– and charged them with endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated sexual assault. The 15-year-old girl has also been charged with promoting prostitution and aggravated sexual assault and is being held at a juvenile detention center.
Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer thanked the community for helping police crack the case. He also said the girl and her family would be moved out of the area for fear of being stigmatized.
“Everybody’s staring at me,” the girl reportedly told the mayor. “They know it’s me.”
Truly heartbreaking.