Inside battle to rescue girl, 15, ‘who was kidnapped from basketball game & had nude pics posted online by traffickers’
THE family of a teen who was kidnapped from a basketball game and had her nude photos posted online have told how they battled to save her from a gang of sex traffickers.
The teen, who went to the bathroom during halftime by herself, wasn't seen for 10 days after being abducted from the stadium in Dallas.
The 15-year-old was found alive in an Extended Stay America hotel in Oklahoma City on April 18.
Saniya Alexander, Melissa Wheeler, Chevaun Gibson, Kenneth Nelson, Sarah Hayes, Karen Gonzales, Thalia Gibson and Steven Hill were arrested in connection to the alleged crimes.
Nelson, Hayes and Gonzales were charged with human trafficking and distribution of child pornography as reported by Fox News Digital.
Hill was charged with rape while the others have outstanding warrants.
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The teen was at the American Airlines Center with her father watching the Dallas Mavericks play against the Portland Trail Blazers on April 8.
The girl's father reported that his daughter was missing when she hadn't return from the bathroom. When he reported the incident to authorities, he was given the run around.
Attorney Zeke Fortenberry, who is representing the family and spoke to The US Sun, said that the father was advised to contact North Richland Hills Police Department about the case since that's where his family lives.
However, police officers from that department told that father that they couldn't help him since his daughter went missing in Dallas.
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In addition to notifying authorities, the father also alerted the arena's security, staff, and the Dallas Police Department.
As the game was ending, with his daughter still missing, the father was instructed to return home.
Fortenberry said that Dallas Police never opened a case for the alleged kidnapping despite pleas from the girl's family.
"My daughter was missing in Dallas, this is a Dallas case, but they refused to open a case for her," the girl's father said.
However, the police department told Fox News Digital that an officer was searching for the missing teen on the night she disappeared.
The department didn't continue the investigation citing a Texas Family Code, stating that, "missing juveniles are investigated as runaways unless there are circumstances which appear as involuntary such as a kidnapping or abduction."
"Those cases per code are to be filed where the juvenile resides," the department told Fox News Digital.
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The Oklahoma City Police Department arrested the individuals involved in the alleged crime.
Fortenberry also blames the American Airlines Center, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Police Department, and an Oklahoma City hotel. He stated that these organizations could have done more to protect the teen.
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