Missing Lehigh Acres teen girl found in Indiana in case of suspected human trafficking

Michael Braun | The News-Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Women's Fund Human Trafficking PSA No. 2 The Women's Fund of Southwest Florida created public service announcements about human trafficking in 2014. (No. 2 of 3).

A recently arrived 14-year-old Guatemalan girl, who was reported missing from her Lehigh Acres home Saturday and feared taken as part of a human trafficking scheme, has been found in Indiana.

A Lee County Sheriff's Office report said that deputies received a call for service at a Chipley Street East address in reference to a missing child.

The complainant told deputies that her husband's 14-year old stepsister had disappeared from the residence. The family said that the girl had moved here from Guatemala one week prior, did not speak English and did not know anyone else within the United States.

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After several attempts, the family was able to reach the girl on her cellphone. She told them she was in a vehicle with a woman who was taking her to a man who would employ her so she could repay her family the money they spent to bring her to the United States.

Detectives with the Lee County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit and Fugitive Warrants Unit found the girl had already been taken out of the state and coordinated with the United States Marshals Service and Homeland Security Investigations to track her.

After an extensive search she was located in a vehicle in Indiana with several other children who also appeared to be possible victims of human trafficking.

Homeland Security Investigations have adopted the case and are in the process of deciding on appropriate charges. Plans are underway to return the victim to her family.

A Child is Missing Alert was issued but preliminary information did not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert.

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