16-Year-Old Girl Was Held Captive, Had Head Shaved In ‘Torture Chamber’ Inside Auburn Home

Keep Reading ↓

PoliceOfficer George Vranos’ had to fight back tears as he started discussing the discovery of a 16-year-old girl who was held at an Auburn home, inside a room he described as a torture chamber.

The girl wouldn’t even look at police. She was crying as police officers entered the basement of the home on Dec. 27.

Then police asked her to remove her knit hat after seeing a Christmas bag full of hair nearby the teen.

Her head was shaved, the officer said after a long pause while testifying in Worcester Central District Court Wednesday.

“She was looking at the floor whimpering,” the officer said.

Vranos testified that the girl was found in a torture chamber inside the home’s basement. He called the area an interrogation room.

Cigarettes, duct tape with hair, an iron and a pot of water were all found in the basement room, police said. The water was for the girl, who asked for it after enduring physical harm.

The girl, who was missing from New Jersey, was found inside 10 White Terrace in Auburn after 2 confidential informants told police a girl in the home needed help.

Four people have been accused of forcing the 16-year-old girl to stay in the home against her will along with confining her to a chair, burning her with a lit cigarette and shaving her head.

All four of the suspects were in court Wednesday for a dangerousness hearing.

Several police officers testified during the hearing in Worcester Central District Court.

They began to discuss the discovery of the teen and a reported home invasion at the White Terrace.

As the testimony continued, officers began to describe the alleged atrocities performed on the teen.

The four suspects, Krystal Lugo and her brother Christopher Lugo, Yariel Torres-Abee and Yuleny Ortiz, are accused of assaulting the 16-year-old girl after believing she set up the home invasion inside the Auburn home earlier in the day.

Two armed men rushed inside the home earlier on Dec. 27 around 6 a.m. The girl woke up and heard the men asking for the location of the “weed.” Then, shots were fired.

Krystal Lugo, the mother of an 18-month-old child, told police she was in fear for her child at the time. Her brother, Christoper Lugo, was pistol-whipped during the home invasion.

The four suspects believed that the 16-year-old set up the home invasion and were determined to learn the names of the two armed men, prosecutor Tara Nechev said.

Krystal Lugo allegedly forced the 16-year-old girl to fight outside.

The girl didn’t have on shoes in the freezing cold weather.

Officers testified that Christopher Lugo and Ortiz ended the fight after neighbors began to watch. The girl was brought back inside the White Terrace home, police testified.

In the basement, the 16-year-old girl was bound to a chair with yellow duct tape. She was burned with a cigarette and had a machete pressed against her neck, police said.

Krystal Lugo allegedly told the victim the machete would move closer to her neck if she lied during questioning.

The victim also told Detective Vincent Ross that Torres-Abee shaved her head but all four suspects participated in the assault.

As Nechev made that statement, Krystal Lugo shook her head in denial. Authorities say Krystal Lugo ordered the other suspects to burn the girl with a cigarette.

The girl was apparently picked up in Leominster on Christmas by Ortiz and Krystal Lugo, Nechev said in court.

The girl said to police that the suspects told her she was given a marijuana cigarette laced with Xanax and they took turns sexually assaulting her on Christmas Day.

As police investigated the home invasion and subsequent discovery of the teen they were able to find marijuana, packaging materials, yellow duct tape with hair on it, knives as well as other items in the Auburn home, according to court records.

Auburn Police Detective Vincent Ross said the home invasion remains under investigation.

Krystal Lugo, 23, of Webster, is charged with kidnapping, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery and larceny under $250; Christopher Lugo, 19, is charged with kidnapping, rape and drug to confine; Torres-Abee, 22, of Southbridge, is charged with kidnapping and assault and battery; Ortiz, 19, of Auburn, is charged with kidnapping.

The Judge, Paul LoConto is reviewing interviews and other information in the case. He continued the dangerousness hearings for Christopher Lugo, Torres-Abee and Ortiz until Friday at 2 p.m.

Krystal Lugo continued to shake her head in denial as Nechev discussed the allegations against her during the dangerousness.

Her defense attorney, Sean McGinty, said that his client was not a danger to society and asked for a low bail and conditions.

Krystal Lugo has a long history with police and officers have been called to the White Terrace location 144 times since 2003, prosecutors said. She allegedly drove at a juvenile with a car on a soccer field in the past, Nechev said.

LoConto deemed Krystal Lugo dangerous and has ordered her held without bail as her case continues in court.

She will return to court on Jan. 31.