UPDATE: Eight Arrested After Teen Snatched at Dallas Mavericks Game

[Jilly_in_VA]

Eight people have been arrested in Oklahoma City for allegedly trafficking a 15-year-old Texas girl, who was abducted at a Dallas Mavericks game last month when she left her father to go and use the bathroom.

The girl’s family is also demanding answers from Texas police about why they refused to investigate their daughter’s disappearance and were forced to locate her themselves with the assistance of the Texas Counter-Trafficking Initiative (TXCTI)—a nonprofit organization that was able to track down nude images of the girl on a prostitution website.

The teen went to the bathroom at the American Airlines Center on April 8 and never returned, her family’s attorney Zeke Fortenberry of the Fortenberry Firm, PLLC said in a release, obtained by Fox News.

She was missing for 10 days until Oklahoma City law enforcement located her at an Extended Stay America hotel— roughly 200 miles away — on April 18.

The Oklahoma City Police Department has arrested Saniya Alexander, Melissa Wheeler, Chevaun Gibson, Kenneth Nelson, Sarah Hayes, Karen Gonzales, Thalia Gibson and Steven Hill in connection to the trafficking case. Gibson is charged with offering to engage in prostitution; Nelson, Hayes and Gonzales are charged with human trafficking and distribution of child pornography; Hill is charged with rape; Gibson and Alexander have felony warrants; and Wheeler has a robbery warrant.

Mr Fortenberry said despite the family’s pleas to the Dallas Police Department, authorities refused to investigate the case citing Texas Family Code laws, which consider missing juveniles to be runaways “unless there are circumstances which appear as involuntary such as a kidnapping or abduction.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/eight-arrested-after-snatching-teen-at-dallas-mavericks-game?ref=home
____________________________________________________________________________________
Texass needs to seriously update its so-called "Family Code"

[PittBlue]

1. How horrifying.

And the police would not investigate?
Ridiculous.

[DURHAM D]

2. Unbelievable.

So it is not safe to go to an NBA game if you are a female. Glad my days of going to sporting events are over. Pretty sure the Mavs had cameras everywhere.

[niyad]

3. That poor child. May she receive all the care she needs. And may the authorities

who refused to investigate, and the perps, receive everything they deserve.

[jmbar2]

4. EIGHT criminals sucking the life from one little girl?!

They look like meth addicts. Can't believe it took an outside group to figure this out.

[Ace Rothstein]

9. I'd bet a lot of money that she wasn't their only victim.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

5. This is obviously horrifying and F*** Texas and their family code ...

But one does have to wonder how someone could be legit 'abducted' from a basketball game with 1000's of people around, and security everywhere?

Seems likely she left willingly with these people, for whatever reason, and only found out later what horrors they had in store for her.

[haele]

13. A 15 year old can be easy to lure. Either by threats, or by pretending

To be someone official saying she won something and they were going to take her to get ready for a half-time or break event, or there was something wrong with her dad, or something like that.
Especially if the teen has been raised to be obedient or otherwise sheltered.
The group probably scoped out out likely kids that were at the game and picked her because she was there only with her father, instead of with siblings, friends, or several family members that could possibly protect her.
I'm glad they were able to rescue her and arrest the gang. Who knows how many other kids they've kidnapped and trafficked.

Haele

[ggma]

28. She was 15

There were eight of them. Ever been surrounded by three or four people who hustle you out of a place? It didn't have to be the entire group; just enough of them to keep her confused until she could she was far enough away from safety that she could be snatched up.

This seems like victim blaming.

ggma

[reACTIONary]

46. I think security cameras showed her....

... leaving with one man after the game ended. My assumption is that the ight were part of the gang that were holding her after the abduction.

[ggma]

57. Sorry to all posting here

I'm not combative, just a gut reaction, honestly.

We alright?

ggma

[reACTIONary]

66. We are all, always, alright! Don't worry! nt

[reACTIONary]

67. And welcome to DU!

[jalan48]

6. The Perps

https://img.thedailybeast.com/image/upload/c_crop,d_placeholder_euli9k,h_1688,w_3000,x_0,y_0/dpr_1.5/c_limit,w_1044/fl_lossy,q_auto/v1653153804/traffickers_dpwghi

[harumph]

15. That's some "Winter's Bone" shit there.

[jalan48]

33. Yep.. That was a great show too.

[oldsoftie]

78. Dale Dickey is an acquaintance of mine. She's something else!

[Sugarcoated]

70. Some dark souls in that group

Damn

[nakocal]

7. Texas Republicans make money

from sex trafficking.

[Submariner]

8. They should all get life without parole

because, if not, I bet my SS check they would it again, only kill the girl this time when she’s used up and bury the evidence.

[stopdiggin]

10. an actual 'snatch'? of a 15 yr old? at a public event?

kudos to the non-profit that was able to locate the teen.

[Mariana]

65. She was probably tricked into walking out of the venue.

Video recording appeared to show she left voluntarily with someone. She may have been threatened into going quietly, she may have been convinced he was some kind of authority figure, or she may even have been groomed online ahead of time to believe this person was a friend.

[stopdiggin]

74. no hesitation in naming the girl a victim

but there's also some detail and circumstance here than wants clarification. Odd factors.

[Liberal In Texas]

83. I still wish the cops or even her lawyer would release the method by which she was

abducted. It might wake some parents up to be more alert or even be a cautionary tale about what to be wary about for other young teenagers.

[Mariana]

85. I'm sure they will, once they've completed the investigation.

They may not even know all of the details yet.

[FeelingBlue]

11. Nightmare in TX

This is horrifying. For being so pro-life in Texas, they sure impersonate people who don’t care about humanity. At all.

[barbtries]

80. they're not pro life

they are anti choice, anti abortion, anti women. please stop conceding that identifier to such people.

[BadgerMom]

12. God forbid she should be pregnant to boot.

The Texas Taliban will ensure a forced birth.

And, even with no pregnancy, my god, what a nightmare for this poor child and her family.

[LeftInTX]

35. I know

[canetoad]

73. First thought

On reading the OP. Some states have written the primer on traumatising women then rubbing the trauma into their hurting bodies.

[DFW]

14. I wish someone would arrest the DPD guys who couldn't be bothered to help.

Indict them for being part of the ring, because I sure can't explain their indifference any other way.

[Rebl2]

21. Absolutely!

[yardwork]

37. It really makes one wonder.

Wonder if this is connected with what the Trump administration started at the border. Human trafficking works in networks.

[Baitball Blogger]

16. Texas needs an infusion of Democratic policies to protect its people.

[KS Toronado]

18. AMEN !

[SmittyWerben]

17. My tolerance and understanding for this shit is done.

Execute all 8 and move on. Also, execute child rapists. Place rapists in prison for 10 years period. Repeat offenders die. Sexual violence has been allowed to go softly punished for too long. I am fucking fed up with this shit.

[Deuxcents]

19. So many women in this lineup

Have any of them a soul?

[Rebl2]

20. Maybe Texas

police are in on trafficking women? Why would they refuse to investigate. She was kidnapped!

[Jilly_in_VA]

23. They claimed it was the "Texass Family Code"

and because she wasn't from Dallas, but I think yeah.

[Rebl2]

48. Exactly

What the hell is Texas family code. We don’t take your kid away from you no matter what you do to them. If they run away or get kidnapped, well that’s your problem.

[Jilly_in_VA]

52. But we WILL investigate you if your kid is trans

Oh yes we will!

[Rebl2]

53. Yep

[orangecrush]

63. Sure looks like it

[IronLionZion]

22. Thanks to Texas Counter-Trafficking Initiative non-profit

For tracking down this girl through the online child porn images these monsters posted to sell this underage girl to creepy strangers.

https://www.txcti.org/

It's time to turn TexASS blue and change some important policies in that state. Like this one:

Despite pleas from the girl’s family, the Dallas Police Department never investigated the case due to Texas Family Code laws, which says missing juveniles are treated as runaways “unless there are circumstances which appear as involuntary such as a kidnapping or abduction.”

I don't know what the girl's family looks like but I guarantee they don't look like the usual missing people who get tons of media attention.

[Traildogbob]

24. And if

Those Meth heads raped her, according to GQP Rep Rickets, it’s a blessing from God is she is pregnant, and she has to carry the meth baby to term. And the Meth heads get visitation privileges and when that child is around 7-8 and female, they can rape her as well. Gods blessing throughout the whole nightmare, as per GQP. I hope that Father gets the justice every Decent father would want for their daughter. I will spare you MY idea of justice. I’d have to relinquish my liberal membership b/c of violent tendencies.

[ancianita]

25. Five women, all of them felons. That really pisses me off.

[spanone]

26. Appears Texas Family Code laws support Child Abduction.

WHAT THEE FUCK.

[Auggie]

27. Scary mug shots at the link

[C Moon]

29. That's horrible!!

[Grokenstein]

30. So much for Abbott's promise to "eliminate rape."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/08/greg-abbott-says-texas-eliminate-rape-defends-abortion-law/5770204001/

Victim's father: "Help! My daughter's been kidnapped!"
Texas cops: "Nah, she's a runaway. Now f$#@ off or I'll arrest ya, I'm tryin' t' sleep, here."

[paleotn]

31. Reason number 2,583 why NOT to live in TX.

[Celerity]

32. they look a nice lot

[Lucid Dreamer]

38. SMILE!

[localroger]

47. The meth budget must be devastating. No wonder they need to groom teen hookers. /nt

[58Sunliner]

84. Let's be clear. They don't groom them Most are RAPED, BEATEN, and HELD CAPTIVE.

They are also told lies and threatened with more abuse.

[Takket]

34. maybe the family should have told the police their daughter was on the run

looking for an abortion and also a gender reassignment surgery. Abbott would have brought down the entire state on finding her.

[LeftInTX]

36. Yes he would

[malaise]

39. This is disturbing on several levels

Last edited Sun May 22, 2022, 05:29 PM - Edit history (1)

For starters, warn family and friends to not let your children and their friends go to these bathrooms alone.

I am ready to give up on this planet.

Sue them properly!

[Ziggysmom]

40. I was raised mostly by my dad. When we went to movies, ball games or any public outings,

he would stand right outside the ladies room door and wait for me. If I was taking too long he was not afraid to yell inside, "Hey, did you fall in?". I used to hate him shadowing me like that, but this sad story makes me thankful for his wisdom. Texas has become a shithole thanks to the GQP. It's time people wake up and vote them out.

[Joinfortmill]

41. Thank God she's alive.

[lpbk2713]

42. The 911 Dispatcher in Buffalo's shooting is looking for work.

She ought to apply in Dallas. She'd fit right in.

[Jilly_in_VA]

44. DALLAS, honey.

This happened in DALLAS. TEXASS. Although Oklahoma is also a sh*thole state.

[lpbk2713]

45. Thanks. I read it too quickly.

...

[Jilly_in_VA]

43. Don't talk to me about sh*thole countries

We have sh*thole STATES right here!

[Mysterian]

49. Pure evil

How can humans have so much capacity to do evil?

[Jake97]

50. Word is she had previously agreed to meet her abductor(s) from an online interaction.

[Arazi]

51. Grooming is a real thing unfortunately

Just my hunch, but the youngest women in that group were also probably groomed and went with their abductors “willingly” sometime in the recent past.

Probably now hooked on drugs and too ashamed to go back. And desperate enough to bring in another sex slave for revenue for their habit

[hlthe2b]

58. "Word is????" You post a rumor based on nothing??? that the girl initiated this? REALLY?

Uggh. Unless you post a citation or source I find this incredibly inappropriate.

[Jilly_in_VA]

61. And even if that WERE true

people misrepresent themselves online EVERY SINGLE DAY. It could be your kid or grandkid they're talking to and you not know. The kid thinks they're another kid a lot of times.

[wnylib]

69. What is the source of that "word"?

Is it reliable or just speculation?

If she did agree to go with someone, did she think it was just a friendly meet? Or do you think that she agreed to be part of a sex ring?

Does agreeing to meet someone justify being kidnapped and raped?

[Scrivener7]

72. A DUer was insisting she was the mastermind of her own abduction a couple of days ago.

Not kidding. And when called on it, his reply was, "I'm just asking questions so this doesn't happen again."

Right out of the Hannity handbook.

Victim blaming creeps.

[Scrivener7]

71. Bullshit. You joined up to victim-blame an abducted child?

[Skittles]

76. was Matt Gaetz the source?

just curious

[IronLionZion]

82. Do you have any evidence for that?

[Lonestarblue]

54. In January, reports surfaced about abuse at a Texas foster facility for sex-trafficked minors.

Governor Abbott asked the Texas Rangers to investigate, and they found no abuse. A real investigation found abuse and an employee was fired. The Texas foster system is noted for physical and sexual abuse. Republicans who claim to be so focused on family values have done nothing about it for decades, other than letting it get worse. And now they’ve loosed the hounds of hell on families with LGBTQ kids so they can investigate them for child abuse for supporting their children’s gender choices and potentially sending those children to foster care hell. We have a lot of evil perverts masquerading as religious saints in Texas!

[Jilly_in_VA]

55. SHITHOLE STATE! n/t

[Demovictory9]

56. Texas AG was busy with rightwing maga stuff

[Jilly_in_VA]

59. When, oh WHEN

is the FBI gonna drop the hammer on that maggot? We've been waiting nigh onto 7 years!!!

[calimary]

60. "Texass" is absolutely right.

I won’t think of that state’s name any other way from now on.

[orangecrush]

62. Don't believe in capital punishment

But in this case I'd make an exception

[Haggis 4 Breakfast]

64. Don't tell me.

Let me guess.

Despite desperate please to the DPD, Texas authorities refused to investigate . . . .

This 15 year old girl was NOT white, with blonde hair with blue eyes.

So, of course she must be a runaway.

[ZonkerHarris]

75. Abbott promised to end rape in Texas. he failed.

[Meowmee]

77. Horrific

Tg her family and that group found her. The police need to be sued for not properly investigating a kidnapping. Surely there were security cams that could have been viewed to see who abducted her etc.

Last don’t let your children out of your site at all. No matter your age or sex, at such events and everywhere really, be careful and do things together.

[Emile]

79. Monsters all around us. If this innocent little girl gets pregnant,

Republican monsters will force her to carry it to birth.