TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KBOI) — A woman who says she witnessed the alleged sexual attack of a 5-year-old girl at a Twin Falls apartment complex is sharing her side of the story.
The alleged sexual assault of a 5-year-old happened at the Fawnbrook Apartment Complex.
The woman, who says she witnessed this incident on June 2, told KBOI 2News exactly what she saw that day and how her community has changed in the last month. The case has received national media attention as rumors spread throughout the town.
"It was disgusting," she said. "Very disgusting."
Grandma Jo, as she's called in the community, says it all started when she noticed her 14-year-old neighbor hanging out and taking pictures near the laundry room of her apartment complex.
"I said to him...'I'm sorry, what are you doing?' And he said 'oh just taking pictures' and I said 'well haven't you ever seen a washer machine and dryer before?' because that's what I thought he was doing. And he said 'oh yeah I know what that is.' And I said well then I'm going to lock this door.' And he goes 'oh no, don't do that.'"
She says when she opened the door of the laundry room, which is usually locked, she found two younger boys with their clothes off and the young girl laying on the ground.
Grandma Jo says when she told the boys to get dressed and wait outside while she called police and helped the young girl whose clothes were soaked in urine.
"The boys had got up and wet all over the little girl," Jo said. "And her clothes in there was all wet and everything."
Two of the three boys were put in a juvenile detention center and the apartment complex has since given the families of the boys an eviction notice.
"They did get told they had to move and then the other people moved that same day after that," she said.
Jo said while one family is gone, the other is attempting to move find a new place to stay.
Since the alleged sexual assault, Grandma Jo says things have been tense around the apartment complex, leaving her with an uneasy feeling.
But she says the police and community members have increased their patrols around the complex to ease some of this fear. Jo says she has been in contact with the little girl's mother since the incident occurred.
She says to her understanding the families were heading to court today (Tuesday).
Because the case involves minors, it's been sealed by the court, which means many details are not released publicly.
The Twin Falls Police Department says the two boys charged in the case have been released into the custody of their parents. Police say they are also working with the victim and her family to provide counseling.
Also on Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson, sent out a second statement after she says many people misinterpreted her preliminary statement.
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