Longview police arrested two juveniles Thursday morning on suspicion of second-degree rape following an investigation of alleged sexual assault at Mark Morris High School.
The two were arrested at 8:07 a.m., according to a notice from the city of Longview.
The juveniles were not named.
In addition to second-degree rape, both are facing charges of unlawful imprisonment with sexual motivation, indecent liberties with forcible compulsion and indecent exposure.
Neither the police nor the school have provided details, including the date or location of the alleged sexual abuse and who first reported it to the school.
The notice about the arrests said identifying information about the arrestees would not be released due to their ages.
The Daily News also does not name juveniles suspected of crimes unless they are charged in adult court.
“The safety of our students remains our first and highest priority,” said Longview Police Chief Robert Huhta in the notice.
The Longview Police Department is also investigating mandatory reporting requirements, the notice continues.
Under state law, all school employees are mandatory reporters of child abuse, meaning they are required to inform law enforcement or another relevant agency if they have "reasonable cause to believe a child suffered abuse or neglect."
Child abuse can include physical or sexual abuse.
Huhta told The Daily News the law can apply to abuse by other children, not just by adults.
Reasonable cause is a legal term, meaning a reasonable person would interpret the facts of a case as evidence of a crime.
Huhta said, as of Friday, the school district had not filed any reports involving the case to the police.
It is not clear, in this case, what school leaders knew about report before, or even after, it was filed to the Longview police on Feb. 9 by a victim.
That morning, Longview students and parents held its first of a two-day protest outside the high school demanding more information about accusations of a sexual assault involving students.
The police department announced that afternoon that officers were investigating a possible crime between Mark Morris students. Later, police told The Daily News that report involved a possible sexual assault.
The school and its school resource officer, the latter of which is employed by Longview police, were aware of a disciplinary issue at the school as of Feb. 5, according to emails sent to The Daily News from school and police leaders.
The details of that issue are not clear, but police said it involved accusations about a Mark Morris basketball team.
The Cowlitz County Prosecutor's Office has also said the case involves a Mark Morris basketball team.
