A 35-year-old woman was charged with sexually trafficking a missing 16-year-old girl who had run away from home, according to the Harris County Constable of Precinct 4 in Texas.
Police began an investigation after receiving information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding a report of a runaway juvenile. Investigators said the woman was trafficking the girl online.
“They begin to trust these traffickers, and once they trust them and they go with them, then they end up getting thrown onto the street or on online ads or even taken,” said Private investigator Betty Simons.
The FBI indicated that the juvenile was being trafficked out of a home in north Harris County. Police obtained a search warrant but were unable to find the missing child at the home. Instead, they arrested Brandi Lowe.
Constable Mark Herman explained that from evidence found at the residence, police determined that Lowe was actively soliciting individuals online to sell the 16-year-old as a minor. “We didn’t give up. We ended up getting a location of a possible hotel she was staying at. We went to the hotel, and we found her with a male subject that we felt was part of this also,” Herman said.
Lowe was charged with promotion of prostitution of a person under 18 years old and held on $20,000 bond. The juvenile was reunited with her family after being rescued and placed in a safe location.
Police indicated that more arrests may be made as the investigation continues.
