Sex trafficked 15-year-old dies by suicide. Video / ABC13
A teenage girl ended her own life two years after she was rescued from a sex trafficking ring.
Leticia "Letty" Serrano of Houston was just 13 years old when she was drugged and sold to sex traffickers.
According to Letty's father, he and her godmother, Cynthia Rivera, spent dayssearching for the teenager before they found her inside an abandoned home, Fox 26 reports.
They then took her to safety, and reported her captor to police.
Leticia, pictured with her father, Mariano Serrano, disappeared at aged 13. Sadly, the young girl took her own life on Saturday, two years after being rescued. Photo / Facebook
"When we got her back she was already broken and addicted at that point. The road to recovery was and is one of the hardest things for any child to overcome," her grandmother told ABC 13.
Since her rescue, Letty had run away from home twice to be with her abductor, who the family say preyed on the teen's weaknesses, including the fact that she was a loner at school and that her brother had recently died.
Cynthia Rivera wrote on a Facebook page dedicated to end sex trafficking.
She told ABC 13 on Saturday she felt she had "let her down".
The family of Leticia is now pleading for justice and hoping to raise awareness about the prevalence of sex trafficking after the 15-year-old died by suicide on Saturday following the horrific ordeal.
"We as a community and the system failed this young lady and her family once. Let's not do it again," Ms Rivera wrote on Facebook.
Leticia's godmother Cynthia Rivera said the sex trafficker was freed just days after being arrested. Photo / Facebook
"I ask you help us and that her death does not go in vain. No news media, no elected officials to speak for her and most of all NO JUSTICE !!!!
"We as a community and the system failed this young lady."
Leticia's father Mariano Serrano told ABC13 that he was broken and destroyed about what happened to his daughter.
The family also want people to know how prevalent sex trafficking is in Houston and how to help fight it.
Mariano said he was broken and destroyed about what happened to his daughter.
Micah Gamboa, executive director of Elijah Rising, an organisation devoted to end sex trafficking, told ABC13 Leticia's story was "unfortunately very familiar".
According to Ms Gamboa, there's more than 300,000 trafficking victims in Texas.
"Entire cities are becoming red light districts. It's no longer just a centralised or isolated issue. It's actually spreading across the nation," Ms Gamboa told the news outlet.
She explained suicide was common among sex trafficking victims because their traffickers were rarely ever caught.
Leticia's family have started a fundraising campaign to cover the cost of funeral expenses.
WHERE TO GET HELP:
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.
OR IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE:
• LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 or 09 5222 999 within Auckland (available 24/7) • SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7) • YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 ,free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat. • NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7) • KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7) • WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm) • DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757 • SAMARITANS – 0800 726 666.
