Winnipeg Police have laid charges against two male suspects in the brutal attack on 16-year-old Rinelle Harper, who was found near death in the freezing waters of the Assiniboine River on Saturday.
Justin James Hudson, 20, and a 17-year-old young man have been charged with attempted murder, aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon.
According to police, Harper met two males downtown around midnight Nov. 8 and walked with them toward the river. Under the Midtown Bridge, the men began attacking Harper. After being sexually assaulted, the teenager ended up in the river and tried to leave the water a short distance away but her two assailants caught up with her and assaulted her again, this time with a weapon.
Hudson and his accomplice allegedly fled the area after the assault and police believe they violently sexually assaulted another young woman around 2:30 a.m., a 23-year-old they encountered near Portage Avenue and Sherbrook Street who was also left unconscious as a result.
Harper wasn’t found until 7 a.m., when a passerby spotted her and called 911. Police took the rare step of publicly naming Harper, with permission from her family, despite her status as a minor in the hopes that it would aid the investigation.
Police found the two male suspects Tuesday and placed them under arrest.
Harper is reportedly recovering well from her harrowing experience.
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