Teen flees alleged assault by two men, finds help at Arizona Chipotle
A 17-year-old girl escaped a reported sexual assault by two men she met on a dating app and sought assistance at a Chipotle in Phoenix.
Investigators say the teen told the two men she was 18 and trying to leave an abusive situation, prompting a six-hour drive from New Mexico to Phoenix. After discovering her true age from an ID, the men allegedly took her to a hotel, bound her, placed a ball gag and a mask over her face, and then sexually assaulted her. The victims says the men eventually left her alone, allowing her to flee on foot until she reached a Chipotle restaurant, where she called emergency services.
Police arrested Preston McKee and Brodie Hester on Aug. 5; Hester faces three counts of sexual conduct with a minor and McKee faces two, each held on bonds of $251,000 and $200,000 respectively. Both are scheduled for a court appearance on Aug. 12, and DNA samples have been collected as the investigation proceeds.
Why it matters
The case highlights dangers of online dating and underscores legal consequences for sexual crimes involving minors.
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