The boys, ages 9 to 14, face charges ranging from sexual assault to kidnapping. Authorities in Phoenix say it’s one of the most horrific cases they've ever seen.
The boys lured the girl to an empty shed on July 16 under the pretense of offering her gum.
The boys then held the girl down while they took turns raping her. “She was brutally sexually assaulted for a period of about 10 to 15 minutes,” police said.
The outrage over the allegations has intensified when police said the girl’s parents criticised her after the attack and blamed her for bringing shame on the family. Police cited the family’s background as the reason the family shunned the girl. All five kids are refugees from the African nation of Liberia.
Published 24 July 2009, 16:26 IST