Content warning: this is a difficult and disturbing story, so prepare yourself.

On Saturday, September 22, a six-year-old girl was raped in the men’s bathroom at the Dros restaurant in Silverton, Pretoria.

The Dros restaurant has issued a statement, confirming the incident.

Here’s what they released to the media:

The statement has been widely criticised for lacking empathy.

Others have called out the slogan at the end, which accompanies each press release the company sends out, but perhaps should have been omitted this time around, given the sensitive nature of the subject matter.

702 talk show host Eusebius McKaiser tweeted:

 

According to News24, police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini confirmed that the case is being investigated, but declined to provide details because the assault involves a minor.

Since then, it has been revealed that the man followed the girl into the women’s bathroom where he snatched her and took her into the men’s bathroom.

According to the paper, the mother of the child could not find her and heard noises from the bathroom.

She reportedly could not open the door and started making a commotion.

The man eventually opened the door and was found to be naked. The child was also undressed and bleeding from the groin area.

The incident was first made public in this post from an unnamed Facebook user:

“I’m at Dros in Silverton en this man jus raped a six year old in the toilet…police are here, she is bleeding…the guy looks 24…apparently he was scouting her while she was playing in the kids area en waited for her to go to the toilet (sic).”

A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged with rape, drug possession and intent to do grievous bodily harm, reports ENCA.

On Tuesday, a  20-year-old man appeared in the Pretoria regional court.

[…]The restaurant patron says the mother and waiting staff were first on the scene. A group of men then assaulted the accused, before a manager intervened.

The patron spoke to eNCA’s Erin Bates on condition of anonymity.

You can see that interview here:

I have no words. I just hope that little girl gets the help she needs to heal.

[sources:enca&news24]