Girl says she was kidnapped, used as sex slave

March 12, 2008, 12:19PM



David Salazar, 27, is charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child and aggravated kidnapping.
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By RUTH RENDON
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

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A 16-year-old Mexican girl told authorities she was being held against her will in Jacinto City and used as a sex slave since being smuggled into the country two months ago, authorities said today.

The teen was found in a Jacinto City home after she cleverly used her captor's cell phone and called 911. The only problem was she could not tell authorities where she was.

The first calls came into the Jacinto City 911 system on Feb. 25.

"We've been receiving calls on 911 from a young lady stating that she was being held against her will and that they had her locked up," Jacinto City Police Chief Joe Ayala said. "She was able to get access to a cell phone but would call and hang up when someone was coming."

The young woman was unable to give authorities an address of where she was.

"She was smuggled here from Mexico without her family's knowledge," Ayala said.

Using cell phone coordinates, police canvassed the 1300 to 1500 blocks of Jennifer following the February phone calls but were unable to locate the teen.

Early Friday, the girl made more 911 calls to Jacinto City police. This time the cell phone coordinates were traced to the corner of Horacio and Jennifer in Jacinto City. Three calls were made between 2:30 a.m. and 4 a.m.

Police were dispatched to the area and checked the home at 1320 Jennifer shared by Gregoria Salgado Vazquez and her son, David Salazar.

"At first the people there (Vazquez and Salazar) said they were the only two people there and that no one else was there," Ayala said. "Then they said, 'well, there is someone else is here.'"

The girl was found in Salazar's bedroom.

"She seemed kind of confused and afraid to speak," Ayala said.

After being removed from the home, the girl opened up to Sgt. Genaro Cortez about her ordeal, Ayala said.

The girl, who doesn't speak English, told authorities that she was sexually abused by Salazar and others.

"She was sexually abused several times by different people at the home and at different locations for money. She said Ms. Vazquez wouldn't let her leave," Ayala said.

The girl apparently was kept in a room that was padlocked from the outside. The home at the corner of Jennifer and Horacio is equipped with burglar bars on all the windows and three large dogs were kept in the backyard.

The girl, who also said she had been whipped with a belt, said she had been smuggled within the last two months. She was taken into protective custody through Child Protective Services, Ayala said.

Vazquez, 58, and Salazar, 27, are each charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child and aggravated kidnapping. Each are being held in the Harris County Jail in lieu of $400,000 bond. Vazquez, according to Ayala, is in the country illegally.

ruth.rendon@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5613286.html