UPDATED Stepdaughter in a possibly very dangerous situation-HELP!

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Wow I just saw this thread this morning. That did not sound safe at all. Generally, I am pretty naive, gullible, and too trusting. In this situation, even my "spidey sense" is tingling. I hope you found a way, any possible way to stop this.

 

[Hikergirl]

OP, how did things go last night?

 

[jerseygal]

Mentioned this situation to a relative who is vacationing with friends in Myrtle, concerned for the friends daughters. My relative said she heard about something similar with sex trafficking in the Rockaway Mall NJ area(Morris County)..Just also read a 2018 article on the web about sex trafficking in Rockland County, Palisades Mall.This is quite frightening and I hope that all parents with teenage daughters through mid 20's read this thread and discuss the reality of this with their kids.
Once kids graduate from high school and live away at college, they have SO MUCH more freedom and exposure, certainly need to be aware of this. HOPING that there was a good outcome last night.. Very disturbing to read this thread. I have two older sons right now, but it certainly makes my "stomach turn" to read about these stories on the web as well. Eager to hear.

 

[mmouse37]

Mentioned this situation to a relative who is vacationing with friends in Myrtle, concerned for the friends daughters. My relative said she heard about something similar with sex trafficking in the Rockaway Mall NJ area(Morris County)..Just also read a 2018 article on the web about sex trafficking in Rockland County, Palisades Mall.This is quite frightening and I hope that all parents with teenage daughters through mid 20's read this thread and discuss the reality of this with their kids.
Once kids graduate from high school and live away at college, they have SO MUCH more freedom and exposure, certainly need to be aware of this. HOPING that there was a good outcome last night.. Very disturbing to read this thread. I have two older sons right now, but it certainly makes my "stomach turn" to read about these stories on the web as well. Eager to hear.

I worked at the Palisades Mall for 15 years and all sorts of stuff went on there....I can't say I specifically heard about trafficking there but nefarious things did happen, like at any public place I suppose.

MJ

 

[Hisgirl]

This whole thread is just horrifying.

Nothing in life is free. This gal sounds like she is soo wanting independence and a new start and since her brain is still developing and not capable of sound reasoning for at least ...what is it for girls? 25?...I hope and pray you are able to discern and protect her from this bizarre situation.

I, too, knew a girl who was kidnapped from Myrtle beach several years ago. It was the sister of a man from our church. They never saw her again.

I agree that teachers at colleges don't pick up strange young people to come live in their home to receive free education. That doesn't happen. It just doesn't. But sex traffickers are trolling bars, stores, beaches, everywhere to get fresh gals. Here in Atlanta, young women have been held against their will in homes and forced to work.

Even if these people seem nice, which they WILL, no way in hell would I hand over my adult child. Get her a meeting with a career counselor, pay for her to go on a learning vacation, something...anything... I hope this does not go down as was planned. Not one person agrees it's a good plan. Lord help this girl.

 

[smilie]

UPDATE: She is still home with us, I won't write out everything that happened (it was about 3 hours we spent with them and 2 more hours at home talking-it was a long night) but wanted to let everyone know it was a positive outcome. There were so much miscommunication between them/her and her/us. As a family we decided that if she does want to go back to school we will research schools and areas together. Go and visit them together and see what interests her. She's also agreed and is very excited about possible counseling. She knows how much her relationship with her mother effected her and she wants so badly to have a happy life that she is open to trying things that will help her get that. She apologized and thanked us for being there for her and showing her that there are people that care. It breaks my heart.

For those that mentioned her living with us, she does. I've been with them for years and have seen her changes and growth, it's just slow going. She has the desire to make a life for herself but just doesn't know how to do it. We told her we are here to help and even take the lead in it if she needs us too. She seems very open to that as well.

Long story short, this is a story that could have ended up completely different. I'm so thankful it didn't. But PLEASE be aware of your surroundings (story below), be present and communicate with your kids. This world is a scary place and there are some dangerous people out there.

There is something I wanted to add about Myrtle Beach. The 2 girls that were on vacation with this teacher went to the beach yesterday morning early because it was their last day. A man stumbled up to them and told them "You girls better be glad I'm drunk!" and started following them. He was obviously very intoxicated and they left immediately in a hurry. It terrified them and they are lucky nothing happened. I'm not saying he would have done something to them but you never know! Please be careful and make sure you and your family are as safe as possible.

 

[smilie]

And thank you to everyone that replied! I appreciate it so much.

 

[Hisgirl]

Sooo grateful!!!!!

 

[nkereina]

At 20 years old, no matter the actual level of maturity, the stepdaughter is an adult. A live adult

You quoted my post, but I'm not sure what your point is. A person can be kidnapped, killed, and fed to alligators whether they are 17, 20, or 40. Adult or child. Age doesn't matter when it comes to people's bad intentions. It only matters in what level of authority the parents have to stop her from doing something. In this case, and in the case of the 17 year old girl who was killed, the parents had little leverage. The girl who was killed was in Myrtle Beach without her parents' permission or knowledge.

OP - glad to hear everything worked out. So it sounds like the people who approached your stepdaughter were legit after all?

 

[monorailsilver]

Just reading this now. Scary! You are a great step mom! She is lucky to have you. Glad she is safe at home.

 

[smilie]

OP - glad to hear everything worked out. So it sounds like the people who approached your stepdaughter were legit after all?

They were, they just obviously went about it the wrong way. I think after what happened to them on the beach and us talking to them (in depth and VERY straight forward-we may have scared them some) they realized that the way everyone handled the situation was wrong. I hope in some way we opened their eyes to things that they normally wouldn't think about.

 

[smilie]

Just reading this now. Scary! You are a great step mom! She is lucky to have you. Glad she is safe at home.

Thank you, I try to be. I love that girl like my own. I'm glad she's safe too....

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

OP I'm very glad everything worked out. Are you saying that these people were legit? There were a lot of people who took the time to post yesterday to try to help you so it seems fair that you would give us update that's not so vague.

 

[StephMK]

I'm so glad it ended well. It really sounds like a great turning point for her as well and I hope she creates the happy life that she wants. You are awesome for handling it so well!

Thanks also for bringing this topic up and sharing the experience. DD18 is about to go to college a few hours from there in a city. I have talked to her about this because she is not the most street wise kid.

 

[Wishing on a star]

SO glad to hear such a positive update!!!!

 

[smilie]

OP I'm very glad everything worked out. Are you saying that these people were legit? There were a lot of people who took the time to post yesterday to try to help you so it seems fair that you would give us update that's not so vague.

I'm sorry....
The teacher was not offering a free education, but rather help and guidance to get her paperwork completed and applying for financial aid. The offer to live with her during the schooling also did not come from her but rather a single mom that had recently graduated and went through a similar childhood/upbringing as my stepdaughter. They are from a small area in the country/mountains of WV. They told us how they are used to being in an area where people are all good hearted and true and genuine. I guess as the night and day went on, they realized that what they were trying to do, although genuine and out of kindness, really wasn't a smart way to handle it. While their offer still stands to help her with the school application and help her get situated into the area... we are first making sure that this is the route that is best for her.

 

[Hikergirl]

So glad to hear the update OP

 

[Imzadi]

The teacher was not offering a free education, but rather help and guidance to get her paperwork completed and applying for financial aid. The offer to live with her during the schooling also did not come from her but rather a single mom that had recently graduated and went through a similar childhood/upbringing as my stepdaughter.

I just started reading this thread. This really doesn't make sense.

So SD isn't even enrolled in that school. Doesn't know if she will even qualify for financial aid. The semester hasn't even started yet. BUT they wanted her to leave with them YESTERDAY and live with one of them with no concrete plan at all??? Does that really sound like something a teacher at a trade school, who's worked there a few semesters would do?

They are from a small area in the country/mountains of WV. They told us how they are used to being in an area where people are all good hearted and true and genuine. I guess as the night and day went on, they realized that what they were trying to do, although genuine and out of kindness, really wasn't a smart way to handle it.

Or they were onto you & DH being suspicious of them. What was the rush to leave that night? These two women may seem decent & legit. But, of course, the fronts for human traffickers probably do seem respectable & legit. They purposely pick people who seem that way and would know how to get out of a situation when people become suspicious. That's how they get people to go with them. It's easy to feign being dumb & innocent.

Serial killer, Ted Bundy was a very good looking guy. He seemed quite normal. That's how he got the women he killed into his car. The recently arrested serial killer in CA was a cop at the time he was killing people. He's acting all old & befuddled now to get out of being declared competent enough to stand trial. The BTK killer lived on an average street in a normal neighborhood for decades, (I think,) after he stopped killing people. He never would have been caught, but he did something decades later that gave himself away.

 

[Imzadi]

My relative said she heard about something similar with sex trafficking in the Rockaway Mall NJ area(Morris County)..Just also read a 2018 article on the web about sex trafficking in Rockland County, Palisades Mall.This is quite frightening and I hope that all parents with teenage daughters through mid 20's read this thread and discuss the reality of this with their kids.

Holy crap! That is so close to us.

 

[smilie]

The rush to leave that night was my stepdaughter. She has always been one to rush into a decision without thinking it through, something we are working on and helping her with. She's afraid if she doesn't "seize the moment" with things, she will never get another chance. Which is a dangerous viewpoint... obviously.