http://www.abc27.com/story/262...ar-old-bessemer-girl
BIRMINGHAM - AL -A horrifying story out of Bessemer. Police are investigating a human trafficking case. They say that a teenage girl was abducted and raped for 3 days by 5 men.
19 yr olds Derion Jeff Shumpert, Khalil Lamontray Bradley, and Sammy Cooper Jr. all face charges of either rape or sodomy of the 13 year old girl. Police say those three along with two other juveniles are charged with abducting the girl and trafficking her for three days in late July.
"She's been drastically hurt," Tajuan McCarty, The WellHouse Founder said.
A former sex trafficking victim, Tajuan McCarty, says it leaves long term emotional scars.
"It just brings up so many memories," she said. "Mine started at 15. The abuse, once it starts, it's hard to try to recover from."
"I would venture to say that there were probably more involved, they just weren't caught in this which saddens me even more for her," McCarty said.
She says these types of cases happen more than most people are aware- all across the Birmingham Metro.
"This is not uncommon," McCarty said. "This has been going on for years and years and we're just now bringing light to it. That's what we try to do with public awareness at the Wellhouse. This is not some specific demographic you would think. These are our kids. These are domestic citizens. These are the girls that live next door to us."
She now helps rescue women, men, and teens from the chains of human trafficking. The WellHouse has rescued nearly 200 victims giving them resources, a place to live, and faith-based counseling.
"We have two facilities now - we have our shelter, which is 30-45 days and we consider it a respite area, which means they're able to get the medical attention they need, food, clothing, hygiene, sheets, towels, everything they need," McCarty said.