TORRINGTON, Conn., March 20 (UPI) -- Two star high school football players in Connecticut have been charged with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl and a third student was suspended Wednesday.
Edgar Gonzalez and Joan Toribio, both 18, face charges of second-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor with sexual contact, and risk of injury to a minor, the Hartford Courant reported.
The charges have sparked a backlash at Torrington High School against their alleged victim, The (Torrington) Register Citizen reported Wednesday. Students have taken to Twitter and other social media to call her a "whore" and to accuse her of ruining the lives of Gonzalez and Toribio.
"Even if it was all his fault, what was a 13-year-old girl doing hanging around 18-year-old guys," one tweet said.
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The investigation into the allegations against the two suspects began Feb. 10 but details of the allegations are unknown because the cases are sealed, the Torrington newspaper said.
Gonzalez was being held in a detention center in New Haven, while Toribio was freed on bond. Both have court appearances scheduled in April.
The Torrington team's Most Valuable Player, Gonzalez was allowed to play in the 2012 season after he was charged earlier in the year with robbing three younger teens.
Torrington is a former mill town in northeastern Connecticut.
School Superintendent Cheryl Kloczko said a third student was suspended Wednesday, the Courant reported. She said the suspension came after police briefed her during the morning on the progress of their investigation.
Kockzo said the alleged attack did not occur during school hours or at school.
She said the three students are receiving school instruction during their suspensions.
