A Marine was apprehended last month and released after a 14-year-old girl, who had been reported missing by her grandmother, was discovered in his barracks at a California base.
The girl was discovered at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California, as revealed by Melissa Aquino, a spokesperson for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. This occurred a little over two weeks after her grandmother alerted the authorities to her disappearance.
The Marine involved was apprehended and interrogated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS) on the same day, but he was later released back to his unit, stated Captain Charles Palmer, the Director of Communications Strategy and Operations for the 1st Marine Logistics Group.
Aquino reported that the teenager’s disappearance had been filed by her grandmother on June 13, stating that the girl had run away from home four days prior. She added that although the girl had a history of running away, she typically returned home shortly after, hence the concern over her lengthy absence.
The case is currently under investigation by the sheriff’s department, the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, and NCIS.
Adding a controversial layer to this story, the girl’s aunt, Casaundra Perez, posted videos on TikTok accusing the military of sex trafficking and covering up the incident. She further claimed that her niece, who purportedly has learning disabilities, was bought and sexually assaulted by the Marine.
The girl was returned to her grandmother and detectives interviewed the teen and the family was “offered services.” No arrests have been made so far and the case remains under investigation.
