SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) – Law enforcement and Blanket Fort Hope, a local nonprofit, came together Wednesday night to warn parents that human trafficking is occurring in central Alabama and that children as young as 12 are being targeted by traffickers.
Experts at the event said trafficking often begins long before a child is physically taken, with traffickers grooming both the child and the people around them — frequently through online platforms.
Sgt. Robert Rodriguez of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office said digital spaces are a primary entry point for predators…