16-year-old held captive in 'torture chamber' by four who allegedly raped and shaved her head

A Massachusetts brother and sister duo along with their two friends have been accused of holding a 16-year-old captive in what police described as a "torture chamber" basement. The accused had held the New Jersey runaway victim for two days, suspecting she might be behind an armed home invasion.

Auburn Police Department Officer George Vranos told the court on Wednesday, 3 January, that they found the victim in a horrid condition. The accused – Krystal Lugo, 23, her brother Christopher Lugo, 19, her boyfriend Yariel Torres-Abee, 22, and Yuleny Ortiz, 19 – had shaved the girl's head and had brutalised her by pressing a machete to her throat and burning her with cigarettes.

It has been alleged that Christopher had also raped the girl. The officer added that the teen girl's ordeal began from Christmas and lasted until 27 December when police raided the Auburn home and found her after two informants notified authorities.

All the four accused have been charged with a range of offenses, including kidnapping and assault. Christopher has also been charged with raping the victim, the Daily Mail reported.

Used condoms, cigarettes, duct tape with hair, an iron and pills were among the evidence found at the scene, police testified in the court.

The court documents filed against the four said that the victim was picked up by Krystal Lugo and Ortiz on Christmas Day but it's not clear how they know each other and where they met.

In her complaint, the girl had told police that she was given marijuana laced with Xanax and was sexually assaulted. She was in the home for two days when two other men intruded and demanded "weed" from the accused. Gunshots were also reportedly fired in the incident.

The complaint added that the accused believed that the victim had set up the armed invasion and started interrogating her to find out the names of the intruders.

Krystal "turned on the victim, blaming her for setting them up, for orchestrating the home invasion," Worcester assistant District Attorney Tara Nechev told the court.

Mother to an 18-month-old daughter, Krystal, was held without bail after she was charged with kidnapping, assault and battery and larceny.

While her brother, Christopher, is charged with kidnapping, rape and drug to confine. Torres-Abee is charged with kidnapping and assault and battery, and Ortiz is charged with kidnapping. The hearings for the three will continue until Friday.