Alleged rape of 5-year-old in Modiin Illit silenced

It appears that communal leaders have attempted to cover up the alleged rape of a girl in the haredi city.

By JEREMY SHARON
modiin ilit 224 88 (photo credit: Tovah Lazaroff)
modiin ilit 224 88
(photo credit: Tovah Lazaroff)
Police are investigating the alleged rape two weeks ago of a five-year-old girl in the haredi settlement of Modi’in Illit.
It is believed that the girl was on her way to kindergarten when a haredi youth grabbed her and took her to an unknown location close by, possibly a storage room or an empty community building, where he raped and abused her. He then released the girl, who arrived at her kindergarten bruised and injured.
The kindergarten teachers contacted the girl’s parents to tell them to pick her up.
She was subsequently taken to the hospital.
It appears that community leaders have been attempting to cover up the incident and are pressuring people not to cooperate with the investigation. Neither the parents nor anyone else involved reported it, and residents are reluctant to speak to the police or media.
Army Radio, which first reported the allegations, said police were finally contacted last Friday via an anonymous text message.
Investigators went to the hospital where the child was said to have been treated.
They have been unable to see the girl due to objections by the family.
Police officers from the Judea and Samaria District also went to the kindergarten in question, but no one there was prepared to cooperate.
A Modi’in Illit resident whose child attends the same kindergarten said on Channel 2 that management was involved in the cover-up, specifically accusing the director of the kindergarten association.