According to data from the Department of Justice and this write-up by NBC 7 San Diego, there are an estimated 2,500 children missing at any given time from the San Diego region alone. Within the first 48 hours of them going missing, 60% will likely be approached by a sex trafficker. This all-important window of time are the golden hours of recovery that can prevent a runaway from becoming a sex trafficking victim. Thankfully, our organization, Saved In America, is on the job and ready to step in and assist parents and police departments in recovering the child. 

Seraphine’s Case

Saved In America assists parents and law enforcement throughout America to find runaway and missing children. This particular write-up happened to follow a piece of the recovery efforts aimed at finding 15-year-old Seraphine, an Escondido girl. Saved In America discovered that Seraphine was seen with a sex offender named Tyler Le-Vesque. At the time of the piece, co-founder of Saved In America Joseph Travers said that “we don’t know if she has been trafficked. We know there are ads for her.” 

The team searched for Seraphine by driving north to Santa Monica and following leads. They saw evidence of Seraphine when she was recorded on a security camera, appearing darker-haired and thinner than before. Travers' team is made up of former law enforcement officers and those with specialized military backgrounds. Seraphine was eventually found and reunited with her family, thanks to the efforts of Saved In America.

Critics of Saved In America Worry About Snatch and Grab

Although one would assume an organization whose main goal is to recover children free of charge wouldn’t have any naysayers, Saved In America isn’t without critics. Some assume that the group is apt to “snatch and grab” girls once they are found and return them to their families. This isn’t the case, though, according to Saved In America. Joseph Travers explains, “out of more than 260 recoveries we’ve never had to touch a child or one of the bad guys. Only one of those operations did anyone even know we were there.” Of course, the number of recoveries has only increased, but the team at Saved In America never swoops in and grabs a child. They instead work with law enforcement to recover the child as peacefully and safely as possible. #ChildSavedNotSold