A 19-year-old man from Minnesota, identified as Keanu Labatte, has been arrested in the United States on severe charges related to the alleged rape, waterboarding, and physical and sexual torture of his girlfriend over a period of several days, as per a report in CBS News.
This disturbing incident is reported to have occurred in the victim’s dormitory. Labatte was taken into custody on September 10 at St Catherine University. Following his arrest, he has been charged with five felony counts, which encompass three charges for criminal sexual conduct, one for domestic assault by strangulation, and one related to threats of violence.
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According to the complaint, Keanu Labatte visited his girlfriend, with whom he had been in a relationship for two months, at her all-girls campus on September 7. The lawsuit alleges that he confiscated her phone and kept it away from her for several days after discovering texts, images, and social media posts that angered him. Over the course of three days, from Thursday to Saturday, the 19-year-old reportedly sexually assaulted her in her dorm room, strangled her, brandished a knife, and compelled her to submerge herself in a bathtub.
He covered her face with a washcloth and poured water on her. He also threatened to harm her family and reminded her of a previous incident with an ex-girlfriend, during which he had held a knife to her throat. The complaint states that the woman was so terrified that she would lie still next to Labatte out of fear of what he might do to her.
NBC News reported that the victim managed to escape from the room on Sunday after persuading the 19-year-old assailant to allow her to visit the campus cafeteria. She was allowed to take her phone along with her to monitor her activities. According to the complaint, the distressed and visibly upset woman went to the security office to report the physical and sexual abuse after escaping. The university promptly notified the police for further action.
It was revealed that the accused attempted to contact the victim five times after her departure from the room. He also sent her text messages inquiring why there were police officers outside. The police subsequently arrested him in the dorm room on charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, domestic assault by strangulation, and threats of violence.
St Catherine University informed CBS News that it would refrain from commenting on the matter to protect the student’s confidentiality and prevent potential re-traumatization.
