A 16-year-old girl in crisis at a Kent East Hill home caught the attention of a patrol officer who refused to let her slip through the cracks. After learning the teen had been abused, kicked out of her family home at 14, and left to stay with adults who did not know her, the officer spent hours working to get her somewhere safer.
The case is unfolding as January marks National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a period when federal and local advocates remind the public that young people living with unknown adults are at heightened risk for exploitation and trafficking. That risk makes it especially important for first responders and neighbors to stay alert, according to DHS’s Blue Campaign.
Officer Response and Timeline
Officers were first sent to the East Hill address after a 911 caller reported unwanted subjects at the home. When they arrived, they found the teen with an adult man. From there, the responding crew spent more than five hours trying to track down her family and secure a safe place for her to stay, according to the Kent Police Department’s Facebook post.
The department described the outcome as “a win because she was noticed by an officer and removed to safety.” According to the post, Child Protective Services did not accept custody and the girl’s family declined to pick her up. That left officers working the phones, partnering with local agencies and the FD CARES program to arrange transportation and a temporary placement “on this side of the state” for the night.
Resources for Parents and Caregivers
If you or someone you care for is in immediate crisis, you can call or text 988 for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which offers 24/7 support, according to SAMHSA. For longer-term help, King County and Washington State programs provide behavioral health support for children and families with intensive needs. The Wraparound WISe program is one of those options, and details are available on the Washington State Health Care Authority’s WISe page.
For clinical mental health care, Seattle Children’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine offers psychiatric urgent care and outpatient services for youth. Contact information and clinic locations are listed on Seattle Children’s.
Legal and Safety Notes
Kent police cautioned that abandoning a child in the way described in this case can lead to criminal consequences for neglect. Under Washington law, law enforcement and child-welfare agencies are authorized to investigate reports of abuse or neglect and, when necessary, take children into custody without a court order, according to Chapter 26.44 RCW.
If you suspect human trafficking or exploitation, you can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, text BEFREE (233733), or visit humantraffickinghotline.org for confidential help. Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.
The Kent Police Department said the case underscores how simple vigilance can change the trajectory for a vulnerable teen and how coordination between patrol officers, fire crews, and behavioral-health partners can keep a young person safe until longer-term services are in place. Kent Police encourage anyone worried about a child’s safety to call 911 or use the crisis and county resources listed above.
