Mich. Teen Who Was Scheduled to Testify Against Alleged Rapist Is Found Dead
A Michigan teen who was found dead last month was scheduled to testify against her alleged rapist in court later this year.
Mujey Dumbuya, 16, was last seen alive leaving her home to catch the bus to school on Jan. 24. When her family learned she never made it to school, they reported her missing, CBS reports.
Four days later, Dumbuya’s body was found by a couple in Kalamazoo, 50 miles away from her high school near Grand Rapids. Although authorities have not released how Dumbuya died, her family believes she was targeted, according to CBS.
On Wednesday, Kent County Prosecutors revealed that Dumbuya was set to testify against her alleged rapist, Quinn Anthony James, 42, in trial later this year, WXMI reports.
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In mid-November, Dumbuya and her family went to Kentwood Public School officials and stated that one of their employees allegedly sexually assaulted the teen over the summer. School officials contacted local law enforcement, who launched an investigation. James was arrested and terminated from his maintenance job, according to a statement released by the school district, WXMI reports.
During the investigation, Dumbuya told authorities James allegedly forced her to have sex with him multiple times since she was 15 years old.
Once, Dumbuya said, James allegedly raped her in a car parked in a school parking lot, WMMT reports. He allegedly told the teen moments before the attack, “There is something about you. I could stop, but I just can’t.”
When questioned by police, James allegedly admitted to having sex with Dumbuya, who was dating his nephew at the time, but said it was consensual, according to WMMT.
James was charged with multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct but was later released on a $100,000 bond and a ‘no contact’ order with the teen, according to the station.
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James is a person of interest in Dumbuya’s death and is currently back behind bars on a $500,000 bond after being arrested last week for raping another girl in 2014, according to CBS.
It is unclear at this time whether he as an attorney or has entered a plea in either case. PEOPLE was unable to reach Kent County officials Friday.
