Photo: ROBYN BECK / AFP / Getty Images
The girl from 16 years old, whose body was found on January 8 on an access ramp to the Highway 110 in South Los Angeles, may have been a victim of human trafficking, said Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.
The District Attorney’s comment was made during a press conference where Gascón and other city leaders demanded answers for the crime of Tioni Theus.
“There is evidence indicating that this young woman may have been a victim of human trafficking, and this speaks to why we must do more for survivors of human trafficking, especially children, who are exceptionally vulnerable”, the prosecutor expressed.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced Wednesday that 16-year-old Tioni Theus may have been the victim of human trafficking. Reward money for information leading to an arrest now stands at $110,000. https://t.co/P0fgkMYznX
— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) January 27, 1237105232
Theus’s body was found on the side of the highway 110 and had a gunshot wound to the neck, according to the coroner’s office.
During the meeting a total reward of $ was announced ,000 Dollars, including $54, dollars of the city of Los Angeles, $,000 Los Angeles County dollars, $50,000 California state dollars and $5,000 dollars from a non-profit community organization, for information to identify and arrest those responsible for Theus’s death.
“While this reward and the rewards established by my colleagues in no way alleviate the tragedy that occurred, it is an incentive for those in the community and beyond to speak up and try information about what happened before his death on January 8,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell.
“A and again, missing and victimized black women and girls are ignored and lack adequate media attention compared to their counterparts,” added the supervisor.
Mitchell said it is imperative that implicit biases or adultification of Black girls not be allowed to influence the lack of media coverage or the public outrage over the murders.
“She did not deserve to die,” said the Los Angeles County supervisor.
George Gascón did not offer further details on what led detectives to believe that Theus may have been a victim of human trafficking.
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