U.S. authorities arrested 26-year-old Ki-Shawn Crumity on the afternoon of Thursday, October 12 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This move follows a deeply disturbing investigation that resulted in the rescue of a missing 13-year-old girl from Louisiana. As of this writing, Crumity is being held on these serious charges. These include human trafficking, sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor, and corruption of a child.
The case began after law enforcement recovered an abducted girl. She was found in a cardboard box wrapped in a blanket, buried in the basement of Crumity’s house on Brighton Park, a neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Investigators collected evidence from the residence, including DNA evidence confirming that the girl was sexually assaulted while in Crumity’s home. News reports sifting through the evidence discovered that she had ventured to Pittsburgh after connecting with Crumity on social media. She made her way there on a Greyhound bus.
Crumity allegedly often slept in the basement bed with both the girl and a third person, identified as a female. This shocking reality highlights a troubling trend and the dangers of social media, especially regarding child exploitation and trafficking.
The investigation included law enforcement agencies from several different states, emphasizing the wide-ranging geographic scope of these types of criminal enterprises. Louisiana’s attorney general, Liz Murrill, commented on the case, emphasizing the need for increased awareness regarding the risks posed by online interactions.
“This child … was groomed, exploited and then sexually abused by strangers who found her online,” – Louisiana’s attorney general, Liz Murrill
Murrill pointed to this incident as one of several examples demonstrating an important cautionary tale. Children are at risk in their interactions with unknown persons online.
“This is just one example of the dangers of social media and of human trafficking,” – Louisiana’s attorney general, Liz Murrill
Crumity’s charges point to a startling increase of grooming and exploitation made easier through digital platforms. Law enforcement officials are still warning that parents should watch what their kids are doing online and teach them to recognize dangers.