Dad Suspects Boy Chatting with His Daughter on Social Networks and Saves Her from Being Traded
When a father found out that his daughter was speaking to someone online, his parental instincts kicked in. He saw something that made him call the police.
When 15-year-old Bruce started speaking to Scott Jenkins' daughter, Haylee, also 15, the father wasn't immediately worried. Jenkins had warned his children about the dangers of the world wide web before, and he trusted their judgment.
However, after Jenkins saw Bruce's profiles, he noticed something worrying. Fortunately, he had the insight to check his daughter's online actions before things spun out of control.
A father and his daughters, one of whom was almost a victim of human trafficking | Photo: Facebook/thescottyjenkins
SOMETHING SHOCKED THE FATHER
Jenkins has two young daughters, and protecting them was always important to him. He started to check on Haylee's social media activity, and initially, everything seemed normal.
However, there was something that shocked him. An image of his daughter was sent to her friend Bruce, whom Jenkins had confirmed was a teenage boy. Shockingly, most of Bruce's online friends were not teenagers.
FRIENDS WITH OLDER MEN
In fact, all of Bruce's internet friends were older men. Jenkins did some research and, based on his findings, he decided to act. He reached out to a detective of the Cyber Task Force of the Portage Police Department.
Once they had access to Haylee's devices, the team started working. Seven months went by before Jenkins got a call that left him worried. The detective asked him to come to the station with his family as soon as possible.
SAVED HER FROM TRAFFICKERS
The family was informed that Bruce's friends were involved in a child trafficking syndicate. The older men were using Bruce as a means to reach the girls. Bruce would lure in and look for girls like Haylee.
These grown men were believed to be trafficking young girls. Jenkins was stunned because his daughter had been thinking about meeting up with Bruce. Fortunately, his vigilance saved her from a horrible fate.
SPEAKING OUT ONLINE
In 2017, Jenkins shared more of the story, which he revealed happened about 5 years before, via his online blog. The father said:
"My beautiful girl was prey for these monsters ... and I fear that I may have never seen my daughter again."
Commenters responded to the post, and many thanked the father for speaking out. One user called it a "frightening story!" Another netizen expressed: "I am SO glad you caught this when you did! Way to be vigilant."
ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO BE VIGILANT
Someone else stated that they were happy to hear Jenkins's story had a happy ending. The father was also overjoyed that he was able to spot the danger and save his beloved daughter.
He used the blog post to warn others and encouraged parents to be aware of their kids' online activity. Many concerned parents asked him for advice, and the caring dad responded with helpful answers that would hopefully prevent others from becoming targets online.
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