LONDON, Ky. (WATE) — A 61-year-old man was arrested in Kentucky after a missing teen used a hand gesture made popular on the social media platform TikTok to signal to a nearby car that she needed help. The bystander who noticed the signal called 911, according to the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.
James Herbert Brick, of North Carolina, was arrested on November 4 on Interstate 75 after the 911 call from a bystander who noticed a distress signal known on TikTok to represent violence at home from a girl in Brick’s vehicle. The caller told 911 operators that the girl appeared to be in distress, and followed the vehicle until the traffic stop was made.
After an investigation, deputies learned the teenager was a missing girl out of Asheville, North Carolina. The girl told deputies that she had traveled with Brick through N.C., Tennessee, Kentucky and into Ohio where he apparently had relatives. At some point, while visiting relatives in Ohio, they learned that the girl Brick was traveling with was underage and reported missing, so, they left. During the departure, the girl began trying to get the attention of motorists to call 911.
Investigators found a phone in Brick’s possession which portrayed the girl in a sexual manner. He’s been charged with unlawful imprisonment, possession of a matter of sex performance by a minor and has been booked into the Laurel County correctional center.
Canadian Women’s Foundation: Signal For Help
The Canadian Women’s Foundation has information regarding “the violence at home signal for help” on its website. They say, “Signal for Help” is a simple one-handed sign someone can use on a video call. It can help a person silently show they need help and want someone to check in with them in a safe way.
Keep breaking news and weather alerts at your fingertips. Download the WATE 6 News and Weather apps.
