Shfaram: Teen locked in basement to force abortion

Bedouin girl's partner locks her in basement with friends' help when she refuses to have abortion; she manages to call police after snatching cell phone

Hassan Shaalan |Published: 05.07.12 , 12:26

An 18-year-old girl from south Israel was kept locked in the basement of a home in Shfaram for a week after she rejected her partner's request to have an abortion, Ynet reported Monday.

On Sunday the Bedouin girl managed to call the police, and she was freed a few hours later. A number of suspects have been arrested in the case.

The girl told investigators that about a month ago she moved into the Shfaram home of her partner's friends. About a week ago the young Bedouin informed her boyfriend that she was pregnant, and when she rejected his demand to undergo an abortion, he locked her in the basement with the help of his friends. They threatened to have her abort the baby by force if she refused to do so willingly.

On Sunday, when the apartment's owner entered the basement to give her food she managed to grab his cell phone without him noticing. She called the Beersheba police department from the bathroom. The girl could not tell the dispatcher where the house was located, but she did give police his name.

Police officers in Shfaram detained the boyfriend, who claimed he was not in touch with the girl. Investigators were eventually able to contact the cell phone owner, who said he would drop the Bedouin girl off at an intersection in Shfaram, where she was found shortly thereafter.

The boyfriend's two accomplices were arrested early Monday morning.

The Shfaram police station chief told Ynet, "The three suspects used violence against the girl and conspired to commit a crime. The complainant has been transferred to a women's shelter."