IL - Missing teen found after escaping 2 year captivity, Washington Park

[Sonya610]

I'm curious how many people tried to report him for things in the past, and couldn't have their stories verified?

Realistically no one came forward to report anything. Have you ever watched the First 48? Ever seen the problems the police face when there is a shooting in the projects with multiple witnesses and NO ONE will say one word! Unless their loved one is the victim (and maybe not even then) no one talks to the police.

And it isn't just because they are afraid of violent retaliation, when pretty much every household has some level of illegal activity (drugs use, etc...) then calling the police on your neighbors seems like a bad idea. Glass houses.

 

[WholeLottaRosie]

http://www.bnd.com/2012/08/24/22957...ays-woman.html#storylink=omni_popular#wgt=pop

"WASHINGTON PARK — The aunt of the man who police say kept a 19-year-old woman against her will for two years and used her as his sex slave said the woman's story is fabricated.

Willie Mae Thomas, of Belleville, said the young woman was not held against her will and that her nephew and the woman were dating."


Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/2012/08/24/22957...#storylink=omni_popular#wgt=pop#storylink=cpy

 

[Sonya610]

http://www.bnd.com/2012/08/24/22957...ays-woman.html#storylink=omni_popular#wgt=pop

My sister told her to go and get her birth certificate from her mother so she could apply for public aid,

I wondered who was paying to feed the baby, I knew it couldn't possibly be the parents! So they tell her to get on Gov Aid, then they promptly has a baby that they can't afford so the taxpayers can feed the baby too. Nice.

 

[laura08]

I think the story is strange. I'm not sure I believe she was held captive everyone saying she walked all the time and sat on the porch. Also a family member helping her escape, if she was reported as missing and or runaway and came in contact with family why didn't they just call 911 to say they found her and so on.

 

[sweetsavi]

Thomas said the victim, who some of the family knows as "Chantay" and some as "Ebony," said her sister, who is also jailed, used to work at the Mobil gas station next door to her house and the woman was back and forth there, not being held captive.

Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/2012/08/24/22957...i_popular#wgt=pop#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy

The wording on this is weird. Am I understanding that the victim is in jail too?

 

[itsreenw]

The wording on this is weird. Am I understanding that the victim is in jail too?

No, the woman being interviewed is the maternal aunt of the male suspect. The suspect's mother, who is now in jail, is her sister.

The man's mother used to work at a nearby gas station and the girl, known by two names, Chantay and Ebony, used to go back and forth to the gas station.

She is trying to say the girl was free to come and go.

 

[itsreenw]

Police recovered a baby and a boy from the home, who were turned over to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. They said the living conditions inside the home were bad. Kelly called the conditions in the home "deplorable."

As far as the filth at the house that led police to seek to condemn the building, Thomas said, "Those boys never clean up."
Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/2012/08/24/2295758/relative-of-suspects-says-woman.html#storylink=omni_popular#wgt=pop#storylink=cpy

So there was another child in the home and at least one other male that was old enough to clean up the filthy house.

It sounds like the girl was stuck in a consensual but unhealthy relationship and finally got up enough nerve to leave. JMO

 

[*~Aimee~*]

Mother and son charged in Washington Park missing teen case

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/33...-charged-in-Washington-Park-missing-teen-case

Washington Park, IL (KSDK) - Charges have been filed against a mother and son at the center of a missing teen case in Washington Park.

25-year-old Steven Johnson faces drug and prostitution charges.
He's also being held on criminal sexual abuse charges. Johnson's mother, Owida, is also charged with child endangerment in the case.

 

[*~Aimee~*]

Suspect in Washington Park case charged with sexually abusing young woman

Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/2012/08/25/2296789/suspect-in-washington-park-case.html#storylink=cpy

Prosecutors filed charges against Steven Elliot Johnson, 24, of 1425 N. Kingshighway in Washington Park, and against his mother, Owida Johnson.

Steven Elliot Johnson was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, promotion of prostitution and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Owida Johnson, 54, was charged with two counts of child endangerment.

 

[*~Aimee~*]

Woman Held As Sex Slave Escapes Captors After 3 Years

http://fox2now.com/2012/08/23/woman-held-as-sex-slave-escapes-captures-after-3-years/

Charges are expected Friday in a horrifying sex slave case in the Metro East. A St. Louis woman escaped from a home after being held there as a sex slave, according to the Washington Park Police Department.

 

[Sonya610]

Johnson's mother, Owida, is also charged with child endangerment in the case.

Okay, if they didn't charge them with kidnapping then WHY did the grandmother get charged with child endangerment (presumably due to a filthy house) and not the girl? She was 19 years old, she was old enough to clean up the house and ensure her baby's safety.

If she was never held against her will they should also charge her with filing a false police report. They investigated this for DAYS and brought in the swat team! What a waste of money!

 

[rollinginit]

Such a strange story.
I think the girl just ran away when she was 15 or 16 to be with her older BF. Maybe she was already pregnant or got pregnant soon after.
Sounds to me like the BF was not an up standing citizen anyway. She was a dumb teenager believing all the Bull he was saying. Sounds like she finally got smart and got out of there. Maybe she finally contacted her family before she did and they encouaged her and helped her to do so. Maybe they reaffirmed to the girl that they did love her and didn't care about what she did when she was a dumb teenager....and they didn't care that she has a child.. They love her and want her to come home.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[*~Aimee~*]

Charges Filed In Metro East Sex Slave Investigation

http://fox2now.com/2012/08/26/charges-filed-in-metro-east-sex-slave-investigation/

WASHINGTON PARK, IL (KTVI)-Charges of promoting prostitution and aggravated criminal sexual abuse were issued Saturday against a Washington Park man accused by a 19-year old of holding her hostage for years.

A 25-year old Steven E. Johnson is locked up on a $2 million bond. He also faces drug charges and a weapons felony. St. Clair County State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly said Johnson has not been charged with kidnapping, but additional charges could be issued depending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation

 

[coco36]

I am so glad she is free and they were able to rescue her baby.

Some reports say she was held two years, some say three. If it was two years, then she was probably pregnant when she got there, if the baby is said to be two years old. It appears that she may have run away to his place and then the situation got ugly and abusive from there.

There was another teenage boy there, that may be also why the mother is facing child endangerment charges.

How scary for this poor girl to be torn between getting help and worrying about the safety of your baby.

 

[laura08]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2018999380_apusgirlheldcaptiveillinois.html

CHICAGO —
Days after police stormed a southwestern Illinois home on the allegation that a teenage girl had been held captive and forced into sex, authorities wouldn't say whether an ongoing investigation would result in additional charges.

Two people were charged in the case on Saturday, but none of the charges allege that the St. Louis, Mo., woman, now 19 years old, was held against her will for more three years.

"We are still investigating," Washington Park Police Chief David Clark told The Associated Press on Sunday. He declined to comment further.

Steven Johnson, 25, of Washington Park, faces several charges, but authorities said just one charge - aggravated criminal sexual assault - is connected to the case. St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly said Saturday that Stephen Johnson had sex with the teenager when she was underage.

 

[marycarney]

This has been pinging my hinky-meter from the start. Methinks there is a LOT more to the story.

Sorry to say - but that's just MOO.

 

[WholeLottaRosie]

New and VERY interesting. Not sure what I can even say here.

http://www.bnd.com/2012/08/28/2300015/that-girl-lied-suspect-in-washington.html

I have a feeling there will be more on this.

 

[peeples]

Yep... VERY interesting....
WOW

 

[marycarney]

Interesting indeed. And the child endangerment charge was related to her 16 year old. Hmmmmmm.......

 

[Sonya610]

She is angry that police left her home unsecured and said thieves broke in and took her big-screen television and computers.

Poor woman. I feel really bad for her. Maybe she can sue the police department and the tax payers can reimburse her. :banghead: