An 18-year-old Melbourne man has been charged following the alleged abduction of a 17-year-old girl near a secondary school, with court documents alleging the incident was carried out with the intention of forcing the teenager into marriage without her consent.

The allegations emerged after the accused appeared before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, where prosecutors outlined a series of charges relating to the incident. The case remains before the courts, and none of the allegations have been tested.

Police allege the 17-year-old student was approaching Keysborough Secondary College in Springvale South at about 8.30am when she was confronted by another teenager, forced into a waiting vehicle and driven away.

Investigators allege the vehicle was driven by 18-year-old Ayom Deng, who was arrested in Melbourne’s west several days after the incident. Court documents allege he abducted the girl with the intention of marrying her without her consent.

Deng has been charged with abduction, kidnapping, false imprisonment, committing an indictable offence while on bail and several related offences. He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody, with the matter scheduled to return to court later this year.

A separate 15-year-old boy has also been charged with abduction and will face proceedings in the Children’s Court. Because he is a minor, restrictions apply to the publication of identifying information.

Victoria Police have said they believe the people involved were known to one another before the incident. The 17-year-old girl was located later the same day and taken to hospital for assessment.

Authorities have not released further details about the girl’s condition, and detectives continue to investigate the events leading up to the alleged abduction.

The case has drawn attention because one of the charges alleges an intention to compel the teenager into marriage without her consent. Under Australian law, forced marriage is a criminal offence and is recognised as a form of modern slavery. Federal legislation provides significant penalties for anyone who causes or participates in a forced marriage.

Schools and education authorities have also responded to the incident by making wellbeing support available for affected students, staff and families.

Police have encouraged anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact Crime Stoppers. As the criminal proceedings continue, both accused are entitled to the presumption of innocence until the allegations are determined by the courts.