WINNIPEG -- The 16-year-old girl who was beaten and left for dead in downtown Winnipeg a week ago has been released from hospital.
Grand Chief David Harper, who represents northern First Nations, confirmed that Rinelle Harper was discharged Friday afternoon.
He said she will be staying with her parents in Winnipeg while she continues to get follow-up medical care.
"She's still achy," he said. "She needs to rest at home with the family."
He also said the family is hoping to arrange a meeting with the two Winnipeg construction workers who found her lying near the Assiniboine River and cared for her until help could arrive.
"They want to meet the two gentlemen that found her. The family wants to say thank you to them personally."
Two suspects -- a 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy -- are facing charges of attempted murder and sexual assault.
Rinelle's family is from the Garden Hill First Nation but she has been living in Winnipeg for two years while attending Southeast Collegiate, a high school for aboriginal young people.
Police say Rinelle was severely beaten and tossed into the river but managed to get out, only to be attacked again with a baseball bat.
