A 17-year-old boy accused by his girlfriend’s parents of kidnapping and raping his 13-year-old significant other was sent to Kep Provincial Court yesterday for official charges, despite the girl maintaining the relationship was consensual, Kampot provincial police chief Mao Chanmakthirith said.

According to Chanmakthirith, the parents of the girl – who was arrested alongside her boyfriend – told police the boy had taken their daughter after she did not return home from school last Friday, but under questioning both the girl and her boyfriend said they were in love and had agreed to run away to Kep together.

Mom Sitha, chief of Kep town police, said the boyfriend was sent to court without any kidnapping charges.

“Police did not find any bruises or cuts on the girl’s body, and based on the girl’s words – she said that they loved each other – no [illegal] detention occurred,” he said, noting the parents were demanding $15,000.

“We [preliminarily] charged him with having sex with a juvenile, but the charges and whether he is detained will be decided by the court.”