Marine charged with sexual assault after 14-year-old found in California barracks

A U.S. Marine has been charged with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl who was found in his barracks at his base in Southern California, the military announced August 11.

The Marine, whose name was not made public, was charged by the military prosecutor with sexual abuse of minors and violation of the restriction of liberty in a previous, unrelated case. In a statement, the statement read:

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday to determine whether he will be court-martialed, Captain Charles Palmer of the 1st Marine Logistics Group told the Associated Press.

Further details of the case, including how he met the girl and how she ended up at the base, were not immediately released.

The Marine was initially taken into custody and questioned in July after military police found the 14-year-old on June 28 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California, about 40 miles north of San Diego. He was later released and not formally charged until August.

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The girl was reported missing by her grandmother. Investigators believe she ran away from her grandparents’ home in Spring Valley, San Diego County, in early June. After she was found at the barracks, detectives interviewed her and the family was offered services, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

Contributors: The Associated Press.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marine faces charges after 14-year-old girl found in California barracks