Teenage girl found assaulted near Winnipeg’s Midtown Bridge

WINNIPEG – A 16-year-old girl was taken to hospital in unstable condition Saturday after she was assaulted and left near the Midtown Bridge.

In addition to injuries from an assault, the girl was suffering from hypothermia when she was found at about 7 a.m., sources said.

“This was quite a serious assault,” said Const. Eric Hofley of the Winnipeg Police Service. “This is a 16-year-old girl who was viciously assaulted.”

The teen was taken to hospital, where she was upgraded to stable condition.

Police have not been able to interview her yet and have very few details about who assaulted her or if she was also sexually assaulted.

“Often you’re a victim of circumstances. You’re walking along in a place, whether it’s an area known to have crime, and if the wrong people happen to be there at that time, tragedy can occur and certainly in this case that happened,” said Hofley.

Members of the forensic and homicide unit spent Saturday investigating the area near Donald Street and Assiniboine Avenue.

They took blood samples from rocks along the Riverwalk, possibly from what sources said were serious head injuries.

Police are not releasing the victim’s name but described her as aboriginal, 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, with long dark brown hair. She was found wearing black leggings, white running shoes, a dark North Face jacket and a black Wu-Tang hoodie.

Police ask anyone who may have seen the victim before she was discovered to call police or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS.