A Houston teenager has been rescued from a dangerous situation with the help of the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Initially reported as a runaway, the 16-year-old was found and saved from what authorities suspect was a sex trafficking operation. Kaylyn Redding, a 22-year-old from Houston, has been arrested in connection with the case.
Redding faces serious charges of promotion of prostitution involving a minor and has been slapped with a $50,000 bond. This isn't her first encounter with the law; FOX 26 Houston reports that she was already on bond for an unrelated misdemeanor prostitution charge back in June. According to court documents, Redding is believed to be the girlfriend of a man who was referred to as the teen's "pimp," and online sex ads featured the teenager's photo with Redding's own phone number for contact.
In an effort to clarify the details of the case, a judge reviewed probable cause and upheld Redding's bond amount during a court appearance on Saturday. The rescued teen claimed during probable cause court that she had been forced to engage in sexual acts for money. "Ms. Redding is alleged to be the complainant's, pimp’s girlfriend who is also allegedly in sex ads online with a complainant's face and a phone number that belong the defendant, Ms. Redding," stated the presiding judge, as reported by Click2Houston.
Further documents brought to light in court revealed the existence of multiple sex ads featuring both the young victim and Redding. "Officers also found three additional sex ads with both the 16-year-old complainant and the defendant with their faces in it. Ms. Redding phone number is the list and contact and Ms. Redding did not claim that she was being trafficked herself," the judge added, as per Click2Houston. The case continues to unfold as the community grapples to understand the full extent of the teen's ordeal and Redding's involvement.
