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Young girl asking for help in Walmart parking lot leads to human trafficking arrests

A 17-year-old girl asked for help at an Arkansas Walmart, leading to the arrests of four people who have now been indicted with human trafficking and rape charges.

WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — Four people have been indicted on charges related to human trafficking after a girl from Phoenix was in a West Memphis Walmart parking lot asking for help after saying she had been sexually assaulted.

The initial incident happened on Jan. 9, 2021, and officers say the 17-year-old girl told authorities that she had been kidnapped from Arizona to be "used as a prostitute."

Arkansas prosecutors have charged four people— one man with multiple counts of rape, kidnapping, and trafficking, two men with multiple rape counts, and one woman with kidnapping and trafficking.

Prosecuting Attorney Michael Snell said the investigation likely saved another woman's life after subpoenaed text messages read, "We have another girl ..."

We will update this article with more information as it becomes available.

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