MIAMI — 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.
Miami-Dade Police stated in a press release that the victim was rescued by detectives from its Human Trafficking Squad and the suspect — who was identified as 27-year-old Christian Manuel Carvajal — was arrested and charged with human trafficking.
According to the arrest affidavit, a missing persons investigation revealed an illicit online ad that showed photos of the victim, who had been on “runaway status” since 2019. So on Saturday, undercover detectives arranged to meet up for a $500 date with the victim in an attempt to rescue her and bring her to safety.
Upon arrival at the meetup location in Doral, a young girl matching the description of the missing juvenile appeared to step out of a white Mercedes-Benz that was being driven by Carvajal. He was then apprehended without incident and transported to MDPD headquarters while the victim was rescued and also transported to HQ.