A child has been subjected to aggravated rape at the Swedish Migration Agency’s return center in Märsta, north of Stockholm. Despite the severity of the crime, no one has been named as a suspect. At the same time, police remain tight-lipped about what happened and who at the facility may be responsible for the assault. Individuals with deportation orders have been causing serious problems at the center for a long time.

On February 10, a large-scale police operation was carried out at the return center in Märsta, where a significant number of people await the implementation of their deportation decisions. A large contingent of police officers conducted a technical investigation on site.

– We are investigating a suspected aggravated crime, said police spokesperson Robert Sennerdal at the time to media.

Neither police nor prosecutors have been willing to go into details. The preliminary investigation is being led by prosecutor Urszula Grabowska, who cited confidentiality:

– We will not comment on what has happened. We are focusing on gathering information and need to work without disturbance.

Suspected Child Rape – But No One Detained

It has since emerged that the crime involves an aggravated rape of a child. The incident reportedly took place near a communal restroom in the facility’s basement, and the child had to be taken to hospital with injuries.

Despite the seriousness of the crime, police have chosen not to notify anyone of suspicion, and authorities are not releasing any information about which of the deported individuals at the center might be the perpetrator(s). Overall, the police have been very sparing with information.

The child’s legal counsel emphasizes the gravity of the situation and that the focus must be on ensuring the child’s safety and that any legal proceedings are handled securely and fairly. At the same time, the family’s condition after the incident is described as “feeling very bad.”

Issues Arise When Men, Women, and Children Live Together

There is extensive criticism regarding the problems caused by residents at the return center. According to the child’s legal representative, the issues have been known for a long time and stem from the practice of housing men, women, and children from these countries of origin together—something that, in hindsight, should have been recognized as problematic.

– Children and adults stay in the same environment, and women and men live in the same building, which has created insecurity, says the representative.

Save the Children offers similar criticism. The organization argues that authorities have long been aware of the “security and protection risks” associated with housing deported men, women, and children together.

But the problem is described as “structural.” According to Save the Children, the fact that children are raped at the center—and that other violent situations arise—is due to “mental health issues” among the perpetrators, resulting from the stress of waiting for deportation decisions to be enforced. “These are people in crisis,” the organization states.

Long History of Fear, Violence, and Insecurity

This case is not an isolated event. According to reports, the center has “for a long time” had “significant problems” with incidents and insecurity, including violence and conflicts among residents. Incidents include threats, assault, and drug-related issues.

Save the Children states that they have filed a comprehensive report of concern to social services and that the raped child is not the first to have “suffered harm” at the return center. According to the organization’s report, a total of 75 children are affected.

Following the child rape, the Migration Agency has increased staff presence at the facility in an attempt to improve security to ensure that those awaiting deportation do not expose each other to further violence and abuse.