A shocking case of sexual assault on a 14-year-old girl has emerged at Camp Pendleton in Southern California, raising concerns about the safety and security on the military base. According to a statement from Capt. Charles Palmer of the 1st Marine Logistics Group, the girl was found in the Marine's barracks on June 28. The Marine, whose identity has not been disclosed, has been charged with sexual assault of a minor and violating liberty restriction from a prior unrelated case.

The teenager, who has learning disabilities, had been reported missing by her grandmother on June 13, four days after she ran away from home. The San Diego County Sheriff's Office revealed that the girl had a history of running away, but would usually return after a few days. However, this time, she was discovered at Camp Pendleton, located 40 miles north of San Diego. She was ultimately released to her grandmother.

Disturbingly, the girl's grandmother accused the Marine of raping her while she was on the base. The allegations were further fueled by the girl's other relatives, who publicly speculated that she may have been sold by a sex trafficker. The girl's aunt, Casaundra Perez, went as far as blaming the entire base camp for allowing the incident to happen, accusing the military of attempting to cover up the alleged rape. Perez claimed that security measures failed to prevent the Marine from bringing a minor onto the base, where he then sexually assaulted her.

In response to the incident, authorities acted swiftly. The Marine was taken into custody by the Naval Criminal Investigative Services for questioning in early July but was later released back to his command. The investigation into the case is ongoing, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for August 17. It will be at this hearing that authorities will decide whether the Marine will face a court-martial.

This incident is not the first to tarnish the reputation of the Marine Corps. Just recently, Staff Sgt. Mason H. Wallace, a Marine Corps recruiter, was charged with sexually assaulting a high school student. Wallace allegedly took advantage of the victim's interest in joining the military to establish a relationship, sending her explicit messages during the recruitment process.

To aid in the investigation, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force are providing their support, alongside the Naval Criminal Investigative Services. The authorities have urged anyone with information about trafficking or related incidents to contact local police.

As the investigation continues, questions remain about how the Marine and the teenager came into contact, how the girl gained access to the base, and the duration of her stay in the barracks. The incident has ignited a broader conversation about the safety measures in place at military bases and the responsibility of the military to protect vulnerable individuals, particularly minors.