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Woman Encouraged, Posted Rape of Romantic Rival on Snapchat, Prosecutors Say

Police said no one else has been charged in the rape as of Thursday afternoon

A Chicago woman posted the rape of her unconscious 23-year-old friend on social media after the two fought over a man they met at a party, prosecutors said.

Beth Rae Harris, 36, who lives in the West Ridge neighborhood, is charged with nonconsensual dissemination of sexual images. She was ordered held in lieu of $150,000 Thursday by Cook County Judge James Brown.

The dispute over the man took place on Aug. 24, prosecutors said. The two apparently made amends and then went to a club and a hotel party where the victim drank heavily, prosecutors said.

Later, prosecutors said, Harris and the victim returned to Harris' apartment in the 7400 block of North Artesian Avenue where the victim passed out.

Prosecutors say that’s when Harris encouraged at least one man, but possibly more, to rape the 23-year-old.

The victim woke the next morning naked and sore, according to prosecutors. After she went home the victim discovered there were videos posted to her Snapchat account that showed her being raped, prosecutors said.

Harris appears in a video posted to the victim’s Snapchat account insulting the 23-year-old, according to prosecutors.

The videos were seen by Snapchat users and Harris was identified as the person who recorded and disseminated the videos of the rape, authorities said.

Police said no one else has been charged in the sexual assault as of Thursday afternoon.

Harris is represented by a public defender and remains in Cook County Jail.

Snapchat did not immediately respond to request for comment, but the app's website has a community guidelines section that condemns content depicting illegal and violent acts.

Users can also report safety concerns about content viewed on Snapchat.

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