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Autistic Boy Allegedly Assaulted By Teen Girls Defends Them

MORGANZA, Md. (WJZ) -- Police say an autistic boy was tormented by two teen girls who threatened him and forced him to perform sexual acts. But in a new interview, the alleged victim sees things differently.

Monique Griego has more on what he said.

In his first interview, the boy defends the girls and says he still considers them his friends.

Police say it happened in rural St. Mary's County. Two teen girls are accused of viciously tormenting and abusing a 16-year-old autistic boy.

All three are students at Chopticon High School.

But--speaking out about the case for the first time--the alleged victim says he doesn't want the girls to be punished and calls one of them his girlfriend.

The boy is only identified by his middle name.

Michael told the Washington Post, "It really makes me upset that my parents want to see them in jail because I really like them."

Police say 17-year-old Lauren Bush and an unnamed 15-year-old girl videotaped themselves threatening him with a knife to the neck, forcing him to perform sex acts, pulling him by the hair, kicking him in the groin and more.

"Another video depicts the male on an icy pond being told to continue to walk out further, actually falling in the water several times and pulling himself out," said Sheriff Timothy Cameron.

Michael defended the girls' actions, saying the knife attack was "a game gone wrong. It was a sick game, kind of creepy. But they didn't have a serious intention about killing me."

Michael's father is quoted as saying, "My son is a staunch defender of his tormenters; it's embarrassing. He may be more disabled than I convinced myself that he was and maybe more lost than I realized. That's something I am going to have to deal with on a later day. Right now, I am trying to get justice for him and others like him."

Bush has been charged as an adult with first-degree assault, false imprisonment and child pornography. Her parents have also come to her defense, telling the Post she never intended to seriously harm Michael and is remorseful about what happened.

The unidentified 15-year-old pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and remains in a juvenile facility.

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