Dallas police: Arrest made after 13-year-old forced into prostitution

DALLAS - Dallas police say a 13-year-old girl who went missing earlier this month was forced into prostitution.

A 25-year-old was arrested and charged last week.

Local advocates say the arrest highlights a much larger problem in North Texas.

Compelling prostitution arrest in Dallas

Jordyn Davidson (Source: Dallas County Jail)

What we know:

A 13-year-old girl was sex-trafficked in Northwest Dallas between April 1 and April 8, according to police, while her family desperately searched for her.

The teen has since been located and is safe.

25-year-old Jordyn Davidson has been charged with compelling prostitution under the age of 18.

According to an arrest warrant, the 13-year-old admitted that "she got into a car with an unknown suspect who dropped her off at the homeless encampment off Harry Hines [Boulevard]." The girl told police "she felt stuck as she did not know how to return home safely."

The teen claims to have met Davidson who, at first, "taught her how to be safe and street smart" until allegedly forcing her to perform sex acts for money.

What we don't know:

The girl's mother, who FOX 4 is not naming, says she is unsure what exactly led to her daughter being trafficked.

The 13-year-old's family hopes to learn more from investigators while their daughter is home recovering.

It is not clear if anyone else will face charges in connection with the case.

Human trafficking in North Texas

Dig deeper:

"You know it's always so heartbreaking when you see these stories. It was also unsurprising," said Bianca Davis, CEO of New Friends New Life, an advocacy non-profit helping victims of sex trafficking. 

Davis says many of the victims are teen girls.

"On any given night, 400 teen girls are trafficked on the streets of Dallas," said Davis. "The average age of the girl that's trafficked is 15 years old."

It is common knowledge that Harry Hines is a trafficking hot-spot, according to Davis.

"It happens in areas like Harry Hines where you have the motels, you have the sexually-oriented businesses, you have the strip clubs, the bars," Davis said.

Davis says no location in North Texas is immune. Her organization organizes educational tours, showing people who want to be more aware the surprising locations where law enforcement has busted trafficking.

"You can be in South Dallas or you can be on Harry Hines. You can also be in Plano, or in Richardson, or Frisco," said Davis. "It happens in places where there may be a home with a white-picket fence."