A 46-year-old man has been arrested in Vila Franca de Xira on suspicion of raping a 15-year-old girl, described as “especially vulnerable and currently institutionalized,” the Polícia Judiciária (PJ) announced on Friday in a statement sent to Notícias ao Minuto.
According to investigators, the victim was on the run from a care institution when she met the suspect, who, in addition to providing food, offered her shelter in a shed where he was living “in homeless conditions.”
However, following drug consumption by the aggressor, he ultimately raped the girl, using physical violence.
After the incident, the victim managed to escape and seek help, eventually being taken to a hospital, where the authorities were notified.
The PJ acted “immediately,” resulting in the suspect’s arrest six hours after the rape.
The detainee, who has a criminal record for various drug trafficking crimes, theft, disobedience, and even rape, had been released from prison just eight months prior, following a conviction for domestic violence.
The man is now set to appear before a judicial interrogation to determine appropriate preventive measures.
