Turn to Tara yearlong investigation finds hotels ignoring trafficking law
Melanie Thompson was 12 and living in New York City when she was kidnapped and trafficked through hotels in upscale suburban areas, according to police.
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2h agoA yearlong Turn to Tara investigation has found hotels across the tri-state ignoring a law meant to help trafficking victims' escape.
Melanie Thompson was 12 and living in New York City when she was kidnapped and trafficked through hotels in upscale suburban areas, according to police.
She first shared her story in 2018, revisiting the places where she was sold as a child and describing the trauma that still lingers.
Her account helped push lawmakers in Albany to pass a law requiring hotels and motels to post human trafficking hotline signs in every public restroom.
Activists say the discreet posters can be a silent lifeline for people who are trapped or afraid to speak out.
But the Turn to Tara investigation found many hotels are not displaying the signs, leaving survivors without a critical resource.
The full documentary, "Trafficking in the Tri-State," airs next Tuesday and Wednesday on News 12.
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