A juvenile is under arrest after police say he and several other males raped a mentally ill woman, beating her viciously and leaving her to die at a vacant home in Miami-Dade.
According to an arrest report, the 16-year-old suspect and several other males followed 53-year-old Francis Harris to a vacant home in the area of Southwest 171st Street and Southwest 102nd Avenue in Perrine last Tuesday around 8 p.m.
Police say Harris tried to run to the rear of the home while the group allegedly followed behind and threatened her.
Harris fell to the ground, and the group allegedly beat, kicked and dragged her before raping her multiple times, leaving her lifeless body on the front porch.
An autopsy determined that Harris died as the result of blunt force trauma to the head and neck. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner report determined the cause of death to be homicide.
It is not known whether the teen has hired an attorney. A hearing is scheduled later this month on an undetermined date.
Wednesday would have been Harris's 54th birthday.
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"Today is her birthday, and we're not here to celebrate with her," daughter Shanika Harris said.
Shanika Harris, one of three children, said her mother was born was health issues and was mentally slow and too trusting of people.
"When she see you, she embraced you, she give you hugs, she kissed, she let you know, make you feel that warm feeling," she said.
"They took the love of my life, someone who was beautiful inside and out," daughter Natalie Williamson said. "Me personally, I can forgive, but I can't forget."
