A 13-year-old Louisiana girl, who had disappeared after meeting a man online, was discovered alive inside a box at his residence, where evidence of sexual assault was found, as per law enforcement officials.
Ki-Shawn Crumity, aged 26, was arrested in Pittsburgh, US, on charges including human trafficking, sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor, and corruption of a child. The teenager, a Baker resident, had gone missing on October 20 after connecting with Crumity on social media.
The arrest of Crumity is part of an investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies across state borders, with at least three men detained in connection with the case. Louisiana’s attorney general, Liz Murrill, highlighted the dangers of social media and human trafficking, emphasizing how the victim was groomed, exploited, and sexually abused by online strangers.
Following information provided by federal agents, authorities found the girl concealed in a box in Crumity’s basement, far from her home, and took her to the hospital for examination revealing signs of sexual assault.
According to a criminal complaint, the girl revealed that she had communicated with Crumity via Snapchat, where he promised to assist her in getting adopted. She traveled to Pittsburgh by bus and stayed in Crumity’s basement with another person, a woman. The girl reported that Crumity gave her cannabis-infused edibles and sexually assaulted her over a week.
During questioning, the victim mentioned that Crumity was aware she was a runaway and had warned her about potential consequences. She expressed feeling safe at the hospital compared to her ordeal with Crumity.
In a press release, local officials disclosed that the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Special Victims Unit was alerted by US Marshals about the Louisiana girl’s presence in Pittsburgh.
Another individual, Ronald Smith, aged 62, was arrested for his involvement in transporting the girl from Louisiana to Georgia and later putting her on a northbound bus. Smith faces charges of simple kidnapping and contributing to juvenile delinquency, while Alvin Hanson, aged 64, was arrested for contributing to juvenile delinquency.
Further arrests are anticipated in the case, with reports indicating that a man and a woman from the Washington DC area were present in Crumity’s basement when the girl was rescued.
