Parents and other residents of a Washington, D.C., suburb are struggling to come to terms with reports that a 14-year-old female student was raped in a boys’ bathroom during school hours by two male students who immigrated to this country illegally.
Police arrested Henry E. Sanchez, 18, and Jose O. Montano, 17, on Friday, charging them with first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree sexual offense in connection with the incident at Rockville High School in suburban Maryland.
The case has captured national attention, including that of the Trump administration. On Tuesday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said, “Part of the reason that the president has made illegal immigration and crackdown such a big deal is because of tragedies like this.”
Already, Montgomery County, where Rockville is the county seat, is known to limit cooperation with federal immigration officials. Maryland Democrats have proposed going a step further by designating Maryland as a sanctuary state.
A lawyer for Sanchez said his client is innocent, and sex with the 14-year-old girl was consensual.
The Daily Signal visited Rockville High School on Tuesday evening, the first time school administration officials faced parents and community members. Watch the video to hear from parents and other community members.