Miami-Dade Police Rescue 17-Year-Old Human Trafficking Victim, Arrest Suspect
A 17-year-old girl who had been missing for five years was rescued from a suspected human trafficker in Miami-Dade County in a stunning operation led by the Miami-Dade Police Department.
The rescue mission was carried out by officers from the Human Trafficking Squad, who arrested 27-year-old Christian Manuel Carvajal on allegations of human trafficking.
A 17-year-old girl who was presumed missing for five years was found and rescued from an alleged human trafficker in Miami-Dade County on Saturday morning:
A 17-year-old girl who was presumed missing for five years was found and rescued from an alleged human trafficker in Miami-Dade County on Saturday morning.https://t.co/1maCE9G1wL
— CBS News Miami (@CBSMiami) January 28, 2024
Online Ads Lead to Discovery.
The investigation began when officials discovered an internet advertisement with images of the missing girl, who had been labeled as a runaway since 2019.
Determined to save her, undercover cops posed as possible clients, using a $500 date as a pretext for the operation.
On the day of the operation, police met with the victim at a prearranged site in Doral, where she exited from Carvajal’s white Mercedes-Benz.
The offender was captured without incident, and the victim was rescued and transported to Miami-Dade Police Headquarters for additional help.
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Trafficker’s Deceptive Tactics
During interviews at the police station, the victim revealed that she met Carvajal on Instagram only a week before the rescue. She agreed to give him $250 for transportation to the meeting place.
Surprisingly, Carvajal had scheduled two extra appointments for her, one offering her $1,000 in compensation, with $500 going to him for arranging and providing transportation.
Carvajal admitted to meeting the victim on Instagram, but he said he believed she was of legal age despite making no significant efforts to prove it.
He neglected to obtain consent from the victim’s parents and was not recognized as her legal guardian. Carvajal also provided the victim a marijuana smoking device while they waited to meet the undercover detectives.
Carvajal was arrested, charged, and then taken into custody. The investigation into this tragic case continues as officials try to protect the victim and bring those responsible to justice.
