17-year-old human trafficking victim rescued by Miami-Dade Police; man arrested

By Hunter Geisel and Ted Scouten

On January 29, 2024

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.

At police headquarters, detectives spoke with the victim, who said that she met Carvajal on Instagram the week before and had agreed with him to transport her to the meetup for $250. She also said that he had arranged two other dates for her — one of which she would make $1,000 for and pay Carvajal $500 for setting it up and transportation. According to the affidavit, the victim consented to search her phone and show detectives her messages with Carvajal.

After read his rights, Carvajal told police that he met the victim on Instagram about a few days beforehand and continued messaging her until Saturday, at which she requested he pick her up and give her a ride. He then said that he agreed to give her a ride for $200, wait for her date to end and then drive her from Miami down to Homestead

According to the affidavit, even though Carvajal assumed that she was underaged, he did not make any attempts to confirm her age except by asking her just once — to which she replied that she was 18.

Carvajal then proceeded to meet the victim in Little Havana and then drive her to the meetup location with the undercover detectives. According to the affidavit, he also failed to attempt any contact with the victim’s parents to obtain permission to have her be in his custody, and later investigation confirmed that he was not listed as a legal guardian.

Additionally, Carvajal also offered the victim a “marijuana smoking device” while they waited to meet with the undercover detectives, the affidavit noted.

Carvajal also verified his Instagram with police, which matched the profile that the victim was chatting with online. He also had recalled knowing the victim’s Instagram profile and told detectives about that as well.

He was then arrested and formally charged before being transported to TGK.

Detective Jessica Barriel, on the Miami-Dade PD Human Trafficking Squad, said of the victim, “She frequently returned and left, returned and left, but was a runaway, showing signs and indicators of beginning to be involved in the life of human trafficking.” 

She says it was an undercover officer who set up a date for sex, planning to meet the victim in Doral. Police tell us the victim met Carvajal a week ago on Instagram, that he began to groom her, then agreed to drive her to the Doral meeting point and he allegedly planned more dates.

“He was the person to transport her with the knowledge that she was going to commit, for lack of a better word, a prostitution act or commercial sex act. He also did arraign other meetings or setups for this young lady,” Det. Barriel said.

Instances of human trafficking are rampant, Florida ranks # 3 in the nation.

“South Florida, in general, is just a hotbed for human trafficking,” said Amanda Altman. She is CEO of Kristi House in Miami. She says we all need to look for signs of trafficking. “Is the child able to answer questions by themself or if I ask questions is the older person constantly answering for them,” she said as an example.

A few other signs include unexplained shopping trips or expensive gifts, unaccounted-for time, keeping late hours, wearing sexually provocative clothing, explicit social media profiles, or kids who are homeless or runaways.

Click here for more signs.

“It’s our responsibility to look out for these signs to watch out for these symptoms. If we see something we’ve got to say something,” she said.

Altman said traffickers will spend time grooming their victims. “Maybe your parent won’t let you have a cell phone and this person is saying to you, ‘Here, I’m going to give you a cell phone. Let me pay for it, but shhh, don’t tell your mom and dad.’ Secrets are really common with traffickers when they’re grooming you,” Altman said.

This piece was republished from CBS News.