Dade County Sheriff’s Office says sex trafficking attempt did not happen

The Dade County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Sep. 10 that an alleged Sep. 9 hit and run and sex trafficking attempt around Slygo and Morganville Ridge Road did not occur in Dade County.

 

According to a Facebook post by the alleged victim, a man in a black Dodge SUV sideswiped her vehicle late in the evening, exited his vehicle and began chasing after her. The victim passed the suspect through the grass in her vehicle, causing the suspect to get back in his vehicle and briefly follow her before ultimately making a U-turn and driving away. 

 

The victim claimed in her post that after making a report about the incident, a deputy came to her home and informed her that it was “more than likely a sex trafficking attempt.”

 

Public Information Officer Sergeant Hailey Smith said that multiple officers received personal calls inquiring about the incident and that the DCSO Facebook page received multiple private messages, prompting Smith to investigate the validity of what was being said.

 

“Around midnight, I was scratching my head because I was at work all day and had not heard anything,” Smith said. “So, I checked all the calls that came through and found nothing.”

 

Smith told the Sentinel that she found the recorded phone call between the victim and dispatch on Sep. 10 in the late afternoon. The victim never told the dispatcher that she was sideswiped. Smith also said that the victim was never told that it was a sex trafficking attempt.

 

Smith said that it was purely a road rage incident, adding that the victim called 911 and stayed on the line with the dispatcher until she safely made it to her home. Smith added that the victim was offered police assistance multiple times but turned it down.

 

The alleged victim was contacted by the Dade Sentinel for a response. However, she was not available for comment.

 

The following statement was made by the Dade County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook in response to the incident.

 

“After further review and speaking with the caller on this incident, a 911 call was placed and received by our Communications Center,” DCSO said. “Those phone recordings were provided to our office. Dade County Dispatchers did an exceptional job with speaking with the caller during what seemed to be a ‘road rage’ incident. Dispatchers stayed on the phone with the caller until they were safely home. The assistance of officers were offered and declined. Upon further review of the recordings, at no time did E911 communicators of deputies declare this to be a sex trafficking incident.”