By CECILY ASSON Thursday, January 10 2013

THE search continued last night for three men who abducted and sexually assaulted a 13-year- old girl shortly after she boarded a car in San Fernando on Tuesday afternoon, asking the driver to take her home.

According to a police report, at about 1.30 pm, the schoolgirl boarded a maroon-coloured ‘PH’ (private hire) taxi at Knox Street in San Fernando and sat in the back seat. She asked to be taken to Library Corner in order to get another taxi to take her to her home.

The male driver upon driving to Harris Promenade near San Fernando Boys’ RC Primary School, stopped the vehicle. As the young girl attempted to get out, two men entered the back seat from either side, trapping her in the middle.

She later told police investigators that one of the men shoved a drawstring bag over her head and an unknown object was placed at her waist. She was ordered to stay quiet and not to move or she would be hurt.

She was then driven to an area in Oropouche where she was raped repeatedly. Police sources told Newsday, the teen was unable to say if more than one person raped her or if one person raped her repeatedly as the bag remained over her head throughout the ordeal.

After the assault, the men asked the girl where she lived. They later drove her to the Oropouche roundabout, ordered her out of the car and drove off in the direction of San Fernando. The teen made her way home and told her parents what had happened.

She was later taken to the Oropouche Police Station where a report was made. Officers accompanied the teen to a medical centre where a doctor medically examined her and confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted.

The teen was able to give officers a description of the driver, but was unable to do so regarding the other two men, as they pounced on her and placed the bag over her head very quickly.

Police are again warning parents to either put systems in place to have their children dropped to school and picked up from school by adults who are known to them or to train their children to observe precautions when entering a vehicle to be taken to and from school.

The teenager is now receiving counselling from officials of the Police Service Victims Support Unit. San Fernando detectives are continuing investigations.

A senior officer expressed disgust at the rape of the teen. “This is happening far too often. We are warning members of the public both young and old to take every precaution when travelling, especially in PH taxis. A total of 1,021 sexual offences were committed in this country last year.