A U.S. Marine has been charged with sexual assault of a minor after a 14-year-old girl who had been missing for over two weeks was discovered inside the barracks at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton near San Diego, the military announced Friday.
Military prosecutors also charged the unnamed Marine with violating liberty restriction from an earlier, unrelated case.
The 14-year-old girl was discovered inside the barracks on June 28, though the incident wasn’t reported publicly until July 6.
That was the same day that Casaundra Perez, who identified herself as the 14-year-old’s aunt, posted a TikTok claiming her niece was raped at the Marine barracks and was “sold to a service member for sex.” She also added that her niece has learning disabilities.
In July, a military spokesperson said that the Marine in question belonged to the Combat Logistics Battalion 5, 1st Marine Logistics Group. Apart from this, hardly any other official details have been released about the case, such as when and how the Marine met the teenager and how she got onto the base.
After a preliminary hearing scheduled for Aug. 17, authorities will decide whether the Marine will face a court-martial.
The missing girl was said to have run away from her grandmother’s house in the Spring Valley area on June 9, though she wasn’t reported missing until June 13. Just under three weeks later, she was located inside Camp Pendleton’s barracks.
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The girl’s aunt questioned how the 14-year-old was able to enter the base.
“The security looked her in the face and allowed this man to bring a minor onto the base, where he proceeded to have sex with her. Due to her age, she could not have given this consent,” Perez said in the July TikTok.
“(The military is) trying to cover it up and place the majority of the blame on her. However, the reality is the whole facility allowed this to happen,” she added, though she did not provide any evidence to corroborate her accusations.
Visitors to the sprawling Camp Pendleton base are stopped at the entrance and required to show authorization. Marines are allowed to bring a visitor on base and into the barracks until a certain hour, which varies according to each building.
Single junior Marines are generally assigned to the barracks where most share a room with at least one other Marine. The rooms generally have two single beds, a small refrigerator, an eating area, a secretary desk, a closet and wall lockers.
At the time news first broke, Perez demanded a transparent investigation into her niece’s disappearance.
“We hope you would join us in calling and demanding both release of details as well as the pursuit of justice,” she said. “Our family is worried about retaliation from the military and the man that has trafficked my niece.”
— with files from The Associated Press
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse or is involved in an abusive situation, please visit the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime for help. They are also reachable toll-free at 1-877-232-2610.