Maryville teen sex assault case: Alleged victim takes story public after 2-year ordeal
(CBS News) The case of an alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl in Missouri is drawing international attention. It's taken Daisy Coleman almost two years to have the courage to take her story public.
In January of 2012, Daisy -- then 14 -- sneaked out of her house with a friend to attend a party with older boys from Maryville High School. There, she claims she was plied with alcohol and sexually assaulted before being dumped outside her house in freezing weather.
The 17-year-old boy -- from a prominent political family -- admitted there was sex, but said it was consensual. He was arrested, but just two months later, local prosecutor Robert Rice dropped the felony rape charges. Rice cited a lack of evidence and cooperation from the Coleman family who he says asserted their Fifth Amendment rights at a taped deposition.
Rice said, "We were very careful -- very deliberate to make sure that we recorded, that there was no misunderstanding, that they understood by when they at that time invoked their Fifth Amendment right, that by doing so was going to force the dismissal of the case."
But Daisy and her mother insist that's not true and allege the charges were dropped as a political favor. Melinda Coleman, Daisy's mother, has said, "We cooperated completely. We had the -- we went to the hospital, we had the physical done at the hospital with all that report. Then we also had the rape kit done."
In the weeks after, the Colemans say they suffered constant threats and were forced to move away.
The Kansas City Star investigated the case for months and its Saturday expose turned a national spotlight on the case. Some Maryville residents say the ensuing publicity has made them a target. Maryville City Manager Greg McDaniel said, "We have been stunned by the amount of cyber threats and emails and social media posts directed at the community in general."
On Wednesday, Rice called on a judge to appoint a special prosecutor, and that could reopen the case. Rice has been widely criticized about the case after dropping the charges against the suspect, who was, at the time, a popular high school football player.
Daisy said, "I felt really weak, worn-down, just like I wasn't worth anything. So it means a lot to have support now."
The online activist group Anonymous has called for an investigation on how the case was handled. Demonstrators will gather at the Maryville courthouse next week.
Watch Terrell Brown's full report above.