Three 16-year-old boys from Pennsylvania: Kelvin J. Mercedes, Andrew R. Miller, and Daishon M. Richardson, have been charged with raping a 14-year-old girl at gunpoint back in September. The teenage suspects, who are all on the Central York High School football team, allegedly raped the young girl after leaving the Pennsylvania York Fair on Sept. 16, according to court documents obtained by USA Today. Their Nov. 21 arrest comes after a two-month-long investigation into the suspected sexual assault. The boys have been charged with rape by force, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful restraint, and terroristic threats. Due to the horrific nature of the crime, the three will be charged as adults.
West York Police Detective Michael Mendez Sr. was the lead investigating officer, and he said the girl, whose name has not been released, knew the teens before the incident. She was with friends at the York Fair when the athletes followed them. They told her they wanted to show her something. She said when she left the fairgrounds with them, she was “taken to an unknown location” and was “forced” to get down on her knees and perform oral sex on the three suspects — all while Kelvin held a gun to her head, according to a probable cause affidavit cited by the York Daily Record. Her assault wasn’t over yet though. The three suspects then moved her to someone’s yard, where they took turns holding her down and raping her next to a fire pit.
The girl said in an interview that took place on Sept. 22 that she complied with the boys’ demands because she was afraid for her life. Once the sexual attack was complete, the teens threw the 14-year-old into an SUV and drove her back to the fairgrounds. She eventually made her way home, which is where she told a relative what had happened to her. She was then taken to York Hospital and had a rape kit examination done. Police were soon contacted about a possible sexual assault.
Sometime after the incident, the survivor told police she got a text message from Andrew. It apparently contained a photograph of the gun she said he and his friends used to threaten her. Daishon also texted her, telling her to “stop lying,” according to documents. Just one day after the boys’ arrest, all three were released from jail after posting $25,000 bail each. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 11.
Our hearts go out to this 14-year-old survivor and her loved ones. HollywoodLifers, please leave your well-wishes below.