Teenager Held Captive by Pa. Man After Online Encounter Found Alive in Box with Evidence of Sexual Assault
A shocking case of online exploitation has come to light after a 13-year-old girl from Louisiana was found alive and captive in the basement of a Pennsylvania man's home, along with evidence of sexual assault.
According to authorities, Ki-Shawn Crumity, 26, is facing multiple charges, including human trafficking, sexual assault, and corruption of a child, following his arrest on Thursday. The teenager had gone missing after meeting Crumity online, and investigators tracked her across several states before discovering her in the box at his basement in Pittsburgh's Brighton Park neighborhood.
The girl told investigators that she was lured by Crumity through social media platform Snapchat, who promised to help her find a trusted adult to adopt by. She claimed to have taken a Greyhound bus to get to Pittsburgh and met Crumity, along with another woman, at his home.
During her ordeal, the girl alleged that Crumity gave her edibles infused with cannabis and repeatedly sexually assaulted her for about a week. The teenager told investigators that she felt safest when she was taken to the hospital after being rescued from the basement.
"We have a child who has been groomed, exploited, and then sexually abused by strangers who found her online," Louisiana's attorney general, Liz Murrill, stated in a statement. "This is just one example of the dangers of social media and human trafficking."
Crumity was denied bail after being booked into Pittsburgh's jail, while two other men, Ronald Smith, 62, and another man whose name has not been released, were also arrested in connection with the girl's temporary disappearance.
The investigation, which involves law enforcement agencies across multiple states, highlights the risks of social media exploitation and human trafficking. Authorities are working to ensure that justice is served for this young victim and her family.
A shocking case of online exploitation has come to light after a 13-year-old girl from Louisiana was found alive and captive in the basement of a Pennsylvania man's home, along with evidence of sexual assault.
According to authorities, Ki-Shawn Crumity, 26, is facing multiple charges, including human trafficking, sexual assault, and corruption of a child, following his arrest on Thursday. The teenager had gone missing after meeting Crumity online, and investigators tracked her across several states before discovering her in the box at his basement in Pittsburgh's Brighton Park neighborhood.
The girl told investigators that she was lured by Crumity through social media platform Snapchat, who promised to help her find a trusted adult to adopt by. She claimed to have taken a Greyhound bus to get to Pittsburgh and met Crumity, along with another woman, at his home.
During her ordeal, the girl alleged that Crumity gave her edibles infused with cannabis and repeatedly sexually assaulted her for about a week. The teenager told investigators that she felt safest when she was taken to the hospital after being rescued from the basement.
"We have a child who has been groomed, exploited, and then sexually abused by strangers who found her online," Louisiana's attorney general, Liz Murrill, stated in a statement. "This is just one example of the dangers of social media and human trafficking."
Crumity was denied bail after being booked into Pittsburgh's jail, while two other men, Ronald Smith, 62, and another man whose name has not been released, were also arrested in connection with the girl's temporary disappearance.
The investigation, which involves law enforcement agencies across multiple states, highlights the risks of social media exploitation and human trafficking. Authorities are working to ensure that justice is served for this young victim and her family.
. I mean, who goes through Snapchat and gets led astray like that? It's just so not right. And the fact that he thought he could get away with this by pretending to be some kinda trusted adult is just sickening 
. The girl is lucky to be alive, but what about all the other kids out there who might be in similar situations? We need to be talking about ways to protect these kids online and in real life 
. And on top of that, I'm so mad that it took multiple states to catch this guy - why didn't anyone step up sooner? 
he gave her edibles w/ cannabis & sexually assaulted her for like a week 
how r we even gonna stop ppl from doin dis? social media platforms need 2 b held more accountable 
authorities r doin thier best 2 ensure justice 4 this young girl & her fam, but its still super scary 
. This case is just another example of how bad online safety is and how quickly things can go downhill for kids. Crumity should've never gotten his hands on her, and now she'll have PTSD for the rest of her life 
. I mean, think about it, a 13-year-old girl, all alone in a basement, with no way out... it's like something straight out of a horror movie 
. And it's not even like she was a victim of circumstance, she was lured by some stranger online and manipulated into this situation 
. I'm so angry on her behalf.
. We need to do better to protect our children and keep them safe online 
.
This is just crazy... like, how do people even think they can take advantage of a kid online? It's just so wrong on every level 
Anyway, I'm glad the girl is safe now and that the authorities are taking action against these monsters 
and I'm so glad they're holding him accountable now Crumity's bail got denied which is a good start but I hope justice gets served for this little girl ASAP 
. I mean, who would've thought that someone could find a 13-yr-old girl online and treat her like dirt? Snapchat needs to really do some reevaluating on its safety measures... like how did they not notice anything suspicious about Crumity's profile? 
.