A Teen's Sexual Assault Was Taped on Facebook Live — and No One Alerted Police

A Chicago teen's sexual assault was broadcast on a Facebook Live video as dozens of viewers watched without reporting the disturbing incident to police. The 15-year-old high school freshman disappeared on Sunday, March 19, after being dropped off at home by a relative named Reginald King. He said after he dropped her off, she walked through her neighborhood to a store for a snack, according to the Chicago Tribune. The next time King saw the unnamed minor was when he watched as many as six attackers sexually assault her on camera.

King said a teen brought the assault, which he described as "graphic," to his attention. "There were adults who saw this. None of them had the wherewithal to say, 'Hey, I gotta call someone.'" The video, which was reportedly viewed by as many as 40 people and has since been removed from Facebook, landed in the hands of local police after Chicago activist Andrew Holmes brought it to their attention. Then, the victim's mother was able to identify her from screenshots of the recorded video.

The teen victim was found on Tuesday, March 21, two days after she first went missing. She was examined for injuries at the hospital and appeared to have a busted lip and puffy cheeks, according to the Tribune. Officials are seeking out the culprits (who are believed to be juveniles), Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi announced on social media. No official charges have been announced.