(Adds details from Dallas police news conference)
DALLAS, June 3 (Reuters) - Four members of a Texas family have been arrested on suspicion of beating a 14-year-old relative to induce an abortion two years ago after she had been raped by a member of the family, Dallas police said on Wednesday.
Cedric Jones, 27; Sharon Jones, 45; Cecila McDonald, 25; and Lonnell McDonald, 27, were arrested on Tuesday and charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, according to online jail records.
The girl was about eight months pregnant when the four beat her for six hours, repeatedly kicking her in the abdomen, police said. The Dallas Morning News said the teenager gave birth to a stillborn baby hours later. The body was thought to have been burned in a charcoal grill and buried at an unknown location, police said.
"Several family members took matters into their own hands," Deputy Chief Gil Garza told reporters.
Before the beating, police said the family had tried birth control pills and cinnamon tablets to abort the pregnancy, police said.
The relationship between the victim, now 16 years old, and her relatives was unknown but police described them as "immediate family." The suspects are being held at Dallas County jail with bail set at $150,000 each.
Robert Cayald, 22, the victim's cousin, was also arrested Tuesday and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, police said at a news conference. His bond was set at $25,000.
The young girl told police she became pregnant after a sexual assault by a family member but was too embarrassed to report it to authorities.
Police said the four relatives discovered the teenager was pregnant and used various methods to terminate the pregnancy out of fear that Child Protective Services would remove the other children living at the home.
Police said a woman who witnessed part of the incident took the girl to a station last month to report the assault. The woman was not identified but could be charged later for not initially reporting the crime, Garza said.
The teenage victim is now under the care of Child Protective Services. Police are still searching for the remains of her child. (Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Bill Trott)
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
