A 13-year-old girl from Michigan, USA, died by suicide after she was allegedly raped during a spin the bottle game at a party, according to her heartbroken parents.
Mylah Thelen’s father found her dead in her bedroom at the family’s Portland home on the morning of March 29, just two weeks after she turned 13.
About a month earlier, Mylah confided in her parents that she had allegedly been sexually assaulted by an 18-year-old man named Blake Kozan, her mother and father, Amy and Robert Thelen told reporters.
The teen told her parents that the alleged incident happened on February 21, when a sleepover with a friend turned into them going to another local home and playing the party game. Mylah, then 12, told her parents that is when Kozan allegedly raped her.
“She said that she didn’t want to do it, but didn’t know how to stop it,” Thelen recalled.
Kozan was charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct on Monday, according to court records.
After hearing what their daughter allegedly endured, Mylah’s parents immediately took their daughter to the hospital and had her interviewed at the Montcalm Child Advocacy Center in Ionia County, a nonprofit that provides a safe place for abuse victims.
Afterward, the husband and wife worked together to support their daughter by constantly reassuring her that what allegedly happened to her was not her fault. But their daughter continued to have a hard time and her parents weren’t fully aware of what she was really going through.
“I think she was lying to me about everybody [at school] knowing about the incident and bullying her about it, because it was easier to hide it than to deal with it,” Thelen told the publication.
The grieving father said his daughter left a note for him and her mom, but did not specify what it said. Thelen also said that the night before Mylah took her life, she and her family were having a wonderful time together.
“We don’t know what triggered that moment for her because the night before we were having the time of our lives and talking about our future,” he stated.
When confronted about the alleged crime, Kozan told the local outlet that he had a sexual interaction with Mylah, but claimed he was not aware of how old she was. According to reports, Kozan met Mylah through his friend’s sister, who is in middle school.
He also appeared to admit to the alleged crime in a since-deleted social media post that read: “This is to all who want to kick [my] a come do it IK (I know) what I did was wrong and I’m owning up to it so if you wanna come kill me do so. I’ll stand still and do nothing about it hell I’ll even drop my location for ya.”
Mylah has been remembered for her love of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which she got into at the age of nine after being bullied. She thrived in the sport and later got into wrestling as well.
“She just had no fear. She was just that bright, energetic,” her mother told the outlet.
Mylah was also incredibly creative, and enjoyed activities like painting, sewing, and knitting, according to her obituary.
“She had a special love for Taco Bell runs and trips to the local C-store, always hoping for an energy drink. She was, in every sense, a wild child with a big heart,” it added.
Through their grief, Mylah’s parents have vowed to help protect other children who struggle with mental health issues and bullying. They also want a change to the stigma around sexual assault, so others feel like they can reach out when in those situations.
“We know there’s a bigger purpose behind our daughter’s sacrifice, and that’s to protect these kids,” Thelen said.
Kozan is due in court on June 8 and again on June 15, according to court records. Kozan’s public defender, Walter Downes, stated his client will not be providing any comments to the media on this case.
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