A missing 13-year-old girl was abducted from Dallas in February, and two weeks later, she was found in Lexington, North Carolina, 1,000 miles from her home. The girl was found behind a home in a shed that locked from the outside. She was rescued by law enforcement after they received a tip from federal authorities. The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force reportedly received a tip about a minor abducted from Dallas and reported it to the Davidson County Police Department, according to ABC News.
Social media reportedly played a part in the girl’s abduction because the suspect allegedly used a social media messaging app to lure her from her home. "The content of the chat was consistent with grooming and enticement, and he enticed her to actually leave the home where he picked her up in the area," said Davidson County Sheriff Richie Simmon, per ABC News.
Authorities identified the suspected kidnapper from camera activity.
The suspect, Jorge Camacho, 34, allegedly used a social media messenger to lure the girl from her home and into his car. Authorities were able to use camera activity to identify the vehicle. Camera footage also helped to locate and identify the suspect shortly after law enforcement received the tip, according to ABC News.
Camacho will face criminal charges.
He was taken to Davidson County Jail on Saturday, according to county records, ABC News reported. He has been charged with human trafficking, rape, and child abduction, and is being held on a $1.2 million bond, reported ABC News.
Authorities are pleading with parents to be vigilant.
Davidson County Sheriff Richie Simmons said the office has investigated a number of similar cases. "I thank god that we were able to find this young girl; it may not be that case forever," he said, according to ABC News.
Missing children and suspected trafficking cases have increased in recent years.
Cases like this one are reportedly becoming more common in the US. According to the 2022 Trafficking in person’s report issued by the US Department of State, social media platforms are most commonly used by traffickers to recruit victims.
There also has been an increase of reported cases of human trafficking by individuals the victim knows such as a family member, guardian, or intimate partner.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported 365,348 children went missing in 2020. Other estimates suggest that 30% were trafficked.
Parents should closely monitor kids' online activity.
Fortunately, this young teen girl was found, but that is not always the case. This story points to the need for parents to monitor their children’s activity on social media, especially who they're talking to. Parents should also discuss safe practices such as not sharing home addresses, school locations, or any personal identifying information, especially anything that would link them to their location.
"We've had to do this so many times, it's crazy," Simmons said, ABC News reported. "That's why we're pleading with these parents."
