12-year-old girl missing from Houston, Texas, believed to have been trafficked

A 12-year-old girl named E’minie Hughes has been missing for over a week from the Houston, Texas, area. It was initially believed that she had left on her own, but the police have since obtained information that indicates she may have been trafficked.

Amber Alert

E’minie was last seen getting into a dark-colored four-door Dodge pickup around 1:40 a.m. local time while wearing a white crop top and pink joggers. The Amber Alert has been activated, and she is still believed to be in the Houston metro area.

Social Media App Involvement

It was reported that E’minie may be on a social media app known as Tagged. The parent company of Tagged, The Meet Group, has reached out to Houston law enforcement to offer assistance with the case. The company's terms and conditions prohibit minors from using their apps, and they utilize both technology and manual analysis to help check for minors who may have registered using a false age.

Mother's Account

E’minie’s mother, Shannon Williams, mentioned that she last saw her daughter before bed, and she was gone when she woke up the next day. The girl is believed to have only taken an Android tablet with her, along with the clothes she was wearing. Williams expressed her hope that her daughter is not in any harm's way.

National Statistics

According to a 2023 news release from the Department of Justice, about 460,000 children go missing in the US every year. In 2023, around 1 in 6 of the more than 28,800 reported cases of missing children were likely victims of child trafficking. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received over 18,400 reports of possible child trafficking last year.