13-year-old reports rape in Poplars

A 13-year-old girl has accused an acquaintance of raping her in the Poplars Garage at 6th and Dunn on the evening of March 6, according to the IU Police Department.\nThe girl's mother called IUPD after her daughter told her she had been raped by a 30-year-old acquaintance, said IUPD Lt. Jerry Minger.\nMinger said although the girl knew the male, no arrests have been made.\n"We are awaiting interviews to talk with him," said Minger. "The mother called us based on what her daughter told her transpired with a male subject. Her daughter told her she was sexually assaulted by this male subject. They had been in People's Park, and the subject walked her to the Poplars stairwell and that was where the act occurred."\nMinger said DNA evidence may be difficult to obtain given the time between the accused rape and the report.\n"We still recommended she be taken to the hospital to do a rape kit," said Minger. "We suggested it to see if any other evidence could be found even though the chances to return any is slimmer because of the time lapse."\nMinger said IUPD will explore the young girl's claims and the suspect's background while they await the rape kit report.\n"We will also be collecting names of anyone else who may know the subject or anyone who could substantiate the date, times and locations to substantiate any claims the girl may have made," Minger said. "After we gather all of that information we will submit the information to the prosecutor's office to see how to charge, or if he will even be charged at all."\nMinger said if the rape kit comes back positive, then because the victim was only 13-years-old, the suspect will be charged with statutory rape regardless of whether or not police determine the act was consentual.