The ongoing saga of a 12-year-old girl who was allegedly assaulted on a bus and at the Casuarina bus exchange by three adults on Sunday evening has taken another turn, with police arresting and charging a new character in the drama – a 13-year-old girl – for her involvement “in the incident”.

Police said the girl was identified in the course of the investigation into the alleged assault of the 12-year-old who police said was assaulted on Sunday evening by a woman on board the bus from Parap to Casuarina and then assaulted again after exiting the bus by two other adults.

They did not explain in the statement what role the 13-year-old played in this assault or a related one.

“The 13-year-old girl’s involvement in the incident was identified through investigations and subsequently she was arrested,” police said in a statement.

Police said on Wednesday they were searching for a woman “of Asian appearance” who had been wearing a “purple top and skirt” on board the Number 3 bus from Casuarina to Moil on Saturday evening when she was allegedly assaulted by a “group of girls”.

They provided few details but said they believed the assault of this woman on October 1 was connected to the October 2 assault of the 12-year-old by three adults.

“Serious Crime Squad have been investigating an incident involving a 12-year-old girl, who was assaulted on a bus travelling to Casuarina bus exchange the following day and believe these two assaults are linked,” police media manager Rob Cross said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The second victim has not come forward yet.”

Police said on Thursday that the 13-year-old was due to appear in court today, but did not say what she was charged with.

The city eagerly awaits with great anticipation the next chapter of this drama to be revealed by police in the next instalment.