Police found girl who killed herself had been victim of sexual violence

Police have discovered that a teenage girl who took her life in July had been sexually assaulted by her male peers.

One of the perpetrators posted sexually disparaging remarks about the victim on social media, police say.

The Incheon Michuholl Police Station said on Tuesday that it had referred a 15-year-old suspect to the prosecution with a recommendation that he be indicted on charges of rape.

Police also referred to the prosecution an 18-year-old high school senior on charges of indecent assault, and a 16-year-old on charges of defamation.

The 15-year-old is accused of raping the girl in 2016 after she disclosed a previous sexual assault to him involving the high school student. He allegedly threatened to tell other people about the earlier assault.

The 16-year-old is suspected of posting defamatory remarks against the victim on social media in 2016.

The victim’s family sued two other male students for threatening the victim on social media, but they were not indicted as they used fake social media identities.

Police used digital forensics technology to examine the accused teens’ mobile phones and said they found evidence of the crimes.

“Upon questioning their classmates, and looking through their mobile phones, we have confirmed the acts of sexual violence, although we can’t pinpoint the exact timing,” a police official said.

The victim’s father filed an online petition on the website of the presidential office last month about the case, saying it should not be forgotten because the victim’s testimony cannot be obtained due to her death.

Nearly 17,000 people had signed the petition as of Tuesday morning.

By Kim So-hyun (sophie@heraldcorp.com)