AKRON, Ohio — They’re not even old enough to drive, but Akron police want two teen girls in jail after a young woman was held against her will, stripped and beaten.
Police say the attack on Dec. 27 in south Akron was recorded and posted on social media.
An 18-year-old woman has already been arrested in the case and charged.
Akron Police Captain Michael Miller has seen some of the videos.
He described to News 5 Investigators what appeared to happen in the basement of a home as humiliating and a shock to the conscience.
“You see a defenseless victim, someone who’s very afraid, very vulnerable in that regard and being struck repeatedly unprovoked,” Miller said.
It was around midnight on that night when police say a 19-year-old woman met her attackers at the house on Beardsley Street and was assaulted over an extended period while someone was recording.
A police report shows the woman had her clothes ripped off, all while being punched, kicked and hit with rocks. She was able to run away.
Then, a man found her walking in the street and called 911.
“I just picked a young lady up. She was walking down the street naked and said somebody jumped her and robbed her,” the 911 caller said.
Hours later, police got a second 911 from the young woman’s mother to file a report.
“They acting like it was a party last night and they got her in there,” the woman’s mother told dispatchers.
The police report shows the woman said she was at a party when her friend and sister started beating her and then took her clothes, shoes and cell phone.
"They told her to get out and she left with no clothes,” the mother told dispatchers.
The good samaritan who found the woman waited for police at a gas station.
“Thank you so much for helping,” the dispatcher told him.
“Oh my God, I got daughters nah nah wow put my hoodie on,” the caller said.
“At any point in that process, someone could have made a different decision, 'Hey stop,'” Miller said.
But Miller said no one did.
“The video that circulated online broke our hearts,” Miller said.
Miller says what’s more disturbing are the ages of everyone who took part in the assault, with the youngest being 13 and 14-year-old girls.
News 5 Investigators asked Miller where the parents were.
“We have no idea,” Capt. Miller said.
Miller said they don’t know who else, from a parental standpoint, was in the house at the time.
The 18-year-old is charged with kidnapping and assault in Akron municipal court. The case is expected to go to a grand jury.
Police identified one of the two younger girls, but so far, no arrests have been made.
Miller says there’s concern in cases like this for retaliation, and the police are asking for more time to investigate.
The family of the victim released the following statement Monday evening:
"Our family is devastated by the unimaginable ordeal our daughter and granddaughter endured. To think that a young woman could be lured, held captive, and beaten so severely is beyond comprehension. This horrific act of violence has shaken our family and our community to its core. We are calling on anyone who may have information about this incident to please come forward and assist law enforcement in bringing those responsible to justice. By shedding light on this heinous act, we can ensure that no other family has to endure such a nightmare. We are grateful for the support and prayers from the community during this difficult time and ask for continued strength as we seek justice for our loved ones. Together, we can work to make our community safer and ensure that such acts of cruelty are never repeated."
