A disturbing case of human trafficking and sexual assault has come to light, involving a 13-year-old Louisiana girl who disappeared after meeting a man online and was subsequently found alive in a box at his home in Pennsylvania. Authorities have arrested 26-year-old Ki-Shawn Crumity, charging him with human trafficking, sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor, and corruption of a child. This incident underscores the severe dangers posed by social media and online predators, prompting a multi-state investigation that has led to the arrest of at least three individuals.

The teenager vanished from Louisiana in the week prior to her discovery, having reportedly connected with Crumity through the social media platform Snapchat. According to the criminal complaint, Crumity had promised to assist her in getting adopted by a trusted adult. Investigators meticulously tracked the girl across several states, culminating in a critical lead from federal agents. This information directed Pittsburgh police to Crumity’s residence in the Brighton Park neighborhood.

On Thursday, Pittsburgh police located the missing girl trapped inside a sheet-covered box in Crumity’s basement. Following her rescue, the child was immediately transported to a hospital, where evidence of sexual assault was recovered, as reported by Guardian newsgathering partner WWL Louisiana. The girl provided investigators with a detailed account of her harrowing experience, revealing the extent of her ordeal.

She explained that she traveled to Pittsburgh by Greyhound bus. Once at Crumity’s home, she reportedly slept in a bed in the basement along with a third person described as a woman. The criminal complaint further details that Crumity gave the girl edibles, which are food products infused with cannabis, and proceeded to sexually assault her repeatedly for approximately one week. WTAE reported that the girl stated to investigators that the safest she had felt was at the hospital after her rescue.

Ki-Shawn Crumity was denied bail and is currently held in Pittsburgh’s jail. The investigation has also led to the apprehension of two other men implicated in the girl's temporary disappearance. Ronald Smith, 62, was arrested in Columbus, Georgia, and faces charges of simple kidnapping and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, as he was allegedly with the girl there. A third unnamed man was arrested in New Orleans after reportedly admitting to being with the girl at a Greyhound bus station in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, about 60 miles away.

Louisiana’s Attorney General, Liz Murrill, issued a stark warning, stating, “This child… was groomed, exploited and then sexually abused by strangers who found her online.” Murrill emphasized that this case serves as a poignant example of the profound dangers associated with social media and the pervasive threat of human trafficking, urging greater awareness and vigilance.