Shauna Newell “Sex Slaves In The Suburbs” Video
Posted on October 9, 2008
Shauna Newell, 18, opens up about how she went to a new friend’s for a sleepover and was drugged and raped, and soon to be sold as a sex slave. Sadly her case isn’t rare… TODAY’s Natalie Morales report “Sex Slaves in the Suburbs” will be aired Sunday, October 12th on MSNBC. The video of Shauna Newell’s story is below.
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Shauna Newell was drugged, raped, and beaten. She keeps herself composed until she speaks of seeing one of the men that sexually assaulted her, out and about a free man.
“I went out to the beach a few weeks ago and I saw the dude who raped me, and he just looked at me,” Newell told NBC News, her voice choking. “Like, hey … you ruined my whole life. You have scarred me for the rest of my life and you’re just sitting there going on with your life like nothing is wrong.”
TODAY’s Natalie Morales does special report entitled “Sex Slaves in the Suburbs,” which will air on October 12th on MSNBC.
Many girls and young women are forced into prostitution in many different ways, including the internet, and thousands of young American women are victims of human traffickers.
Like Newell, many are treated by police as runaways, said Marc Klaas, who founded the advocacy group Klaaskids after his own 12-year-old daughter was abducted, raped and killed. When they are forced into prostitution, the young people are the ones who are prosecuted, Klaas told TODAY’s Meredith Vieira Thursday in New York.
“It turns upside down,” Klaas explained. “First of all, many of these kids are missing children. But what happens is when they’re trafficked, they’re turned into hookers; they’re turned into prostitutes. So we find this situation where we find these young victims, these young girls that all of a sudden are being treated and looked upon as criminals.”
Shauna Newell was lucky when she was abducted two years ago, thanks to her mom and Mark Klaas’ organization which searched for her, and rescued her three days after her abduction
Shauna Newell’s story started when she was 16 years-old and was invited by a new friend in high school to come to her home for a sleepover. Seems innocent enough right?
Newell’s mother, Lisa Brant, didn’t like the idea, but after Shauna kept badgering her, Lisa Brant met with the girl and the man she said was her father first before agreeing.
The problem is the girls “father” was really a convicted felon, and the girl was a prostitute who helped in the abduction. “Her dad took us to this house and said he’d be right back and he left us there,” Newell recounted in a taped interview. “And I asked for some water because I was thirsty. And I drank the water and I blacked out.”
Shauna was obviously drugged and could not even move.
“My legs were being held down, and the guy that was raping me was holding my hands back,” she said in a quiet voice. “I kept screaming, ‘Stop, please don’t do this. Leave me alone.’ But I was so weak, I couldn’t fight them off. Like I was, I was so really out of it. And I blacked out a few times and I kept coming back to. And I was still being raped every time I woke up.”
When Shauna was left alone for a second, she quickly called her mother.
“My cell phone rang. And all I heard was, ‘Mommy, help me,’ ” Lisa Brant said. “And the phone went dead. And I freaked!”
Lisa Brant phoned the police, but they said her daughter probably just ran away from home. They would have to wait 72 hours before they could consider her a missing person.
“He was like, ‘Oh, well, you know, there’s nothing I can do. You know teenagers,’ ” Brant said.
Shauna’s mother and her siblings began their own search. They were fortunate in that Brad Dennis, an investigator for KlaasKids, was based in the area because the Florida Panhandle is an epicenter of human trafficking.
One of the search parties had stopped at a convenience store for something to drink, and Newell’s 14-year-old brother spotted his sister in the back seat of another car that had stopped at the same store. She was rescued, but her abductors took off.
Shauna Newell had been drugged, raped, and beaten over the three days. Newell was bloody, dirty, bruised and barely alive. She was airlifted to a hospital and had to be resuscitated twice. In addition to her serious injuries, she had been infected with an STD.
Plans had been underway by her captors to sell her. Shauna Newell said that her captor told her she had been sold on the Internet for $300,000 to a man in Texas. Thankfully she was rescued before delivery could be made. During her horrifying three days held captive, the captors took money from a number of men who raped her. When she screamed, he held a gun to her head and threatened to blow her brains out.
Shauna Newell later moved in with her boyfriend and now has a child of her own. Her family continues to lobby for national legislation that will provide aid for Americans forced into the sex trade similar to aid that is provided for girls and boys who are brought into the country and forced into prostitution.
When Shauna Newell was asked for advice for other young girls, she replied:
“Listen to your parents. Just don’t stop believing. Be strong,” she said. “Follow what your parents say fully, fully. There are people out there who will help you. Speak up. Everybody needs to speak up. Girls that have gone through this, they’re scared.”
The special report by Morales on “Sex Slaves in the Suburbs” premieres at 10 p.m. ET Sunday, Oct. 12 on MSNBC.
Images: MSNBC
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35 comments
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………THIS IS AMERICA, TODAY?
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I just got finished watching this story on MSNBC. And i got to say there is something very fishy about this story. Her reactions and interactions seem ver inconsistent with someone who had been victimozed. I have heard this sort of story before(refuses to do rap kit-refuses to meet with police but wants justce) she is hiding something
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You’re right. . .like this girl went public with all this humiliating info just to make it up (sigh). Geez. This was a great story. .. not obviously what happened, but finding out how easy this could happen to anyone and the treatment they received from community police and hospitals. .. not surprising. This was sick and disturbing and it was very courageous to speak out about what happened to hopefully prevent it from happening to others. Shauna is very brave and I’d give her a hug if I ever saw her. I just hope when I have kids some day, they listen to me because I woulda done the same thing she did. Bug my mom til she gave in. Sucks when you’re young and don’t realize your folks say no to help you, not to be mean and controlling.
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Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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Proof’s in the pudding:
http://www.inweekly.net/article.asp?artID=4718
Compare that story with this one and MSNBC’s, there are several discrepencies, like how she ‘got away/was rescued’.
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yall can think this bull**** all you want but i know this kid and have all over her life. she was not raised to tell bull**** stories like this. it is true it is real!
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I live in Pensacola born and raised in Santa ROsa County about 10 minutes away…and it was very disturbing to watch this knowing that it happened right here in my own town.It’s even more distubring to read some of these comments from ignorant people who think this young lady would make this up…why on earth would somebody make this type of story up.It doesn’t matter if the story doesn’t make sense to you!you and your opinions do not matter. I cant even imagine what she went through and how she managed to get out. I applaud her for coming out with her story and the worst part of this story is that all the men who participated in this are still walking free…I’m only 22 and I have a 2 year old so these sick perverts are in MY community with me EVERYDAY!!Very sick and twisted!The police here SUCK they worry more about drug busts and racial profiling!I’m sad to say I am a member of this town!I will be leaving soon this just adds fuel to my fire!God bless Shauna and her family and I’m so so sorry for what happened to you!Keep your head up and keep moving on!For you and your child!Once again I’m SORRY!!
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God Bless Shauna.
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Some of the comments on here amaze me. Somebody PLEASE explain to me why it is the tendency of the observer to blame the victim for the horrific abuse she suffered. Let’s see, she was just raped, drugged and beaten non-stop for three days, bound and held against her will and you, Jose and others, can’t understand why she doesn’t want to be alone with another strange man, even if he is a policeman. Because they won’t allow her to be questioned with a family member in the room, they have chosen to close the case, while this girl continues to live in fear while her abusers walk the same neighborhoods looking for more prey. I hope to goodness it is not your family member they abuse next. All of our children deserve better from our police departments than this. They suggested her parents not even search for her for three days! Shauna would have been sold into the sex slave trade had her family sat on their laurels for three days as was suggested by the Pensacola police department. God bless you, Shauna. God help Pensacola!
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FYI, Damion…MSNBC blurs out the face of the person who is being accused of a crime, if they have not been charged, so as to avoid a lawsuit.
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You know, It really hurts me to read comments about how im “lying” or how i “deserved what i got, because i wasnt a perfect kid.” But then i go on to read how many people support me. And it reminds me why im pushing so hard to get my story heard in as many states, and even countries as i possibly can. I just dont understand people sometimes.. If I were lying, do you HONESTLY think i would tell people all the grim details, do you think i would PUT MYSELF OUT THERE LIKE THAT?! Its hurtful to think that people actually sit here, and point their fingers at me, like IVE done something wrong!? I was young, and didnt want to believe that my mom really was just trying to protect me. SO i kept pushing her to let me go out with my “friend.” If i would have known NOW what i didnt know then. Things would have happened differently. And i WOULDNT be who i am today. Im a better person, and stronger person. Im a firm believer in KARMA, and i know that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. God has mysterious ways of working things out.. Ill pray for those of you who dont believe that what i say is the truth, the whole truth and nothing BUT the truth.. And ill pray extra hard that something so horrific never happens to any of your loved ones.. If it does, ill be here to help them through it. God Bless your souls.
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God bless you Shauna!
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shauna…i was watching msnbc and just seen this air…i cant believe it, i live in crestview, florida in okaloosa county which is 45 minutes from pensacola..and i work in milton. i was so astonished that this happend right next to…me. i want to say i am so sorry and may the Lord be with you and your family, i was thinking about how much i wish i could meet you and your family i hope..you read this or it gets to you some how. if there is anything i can do please let me know. i know i will keep you and your family in my prayers, and like someone else said God has a reason for everything. i dont know why it happend but it did…it happens all over and i didnt know how close until now. i dont know what else to say…but to shaunas family -keep praying and hoping for the best and im sure God will bless you all. shauna..i just read your post..i didnt realize it until now. you are a strong strong woman and i know God has something in store for you, your really beautiful as well and keep on that right path and remember to always listen to your parents…i know me being young as well, just do what i want to do but in all they know whats best..id really wish i could meet you or atleast talk to you someday. i do believe you and your family and this that aired because it happens everywhere. thank you so much for..never giving up..you..hun…you have done nothing…nothing wrong at all. these things just happen. God bless you and your family…
jesse.
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My son was murdered in the same area that this happened to shauna and I can’t get help. there is so much corruption in the Panhandle of Florida. Shame on the people that have been judging this young lady, you are going through life and NEVER dream such a thing could happen to you. My hat goes off to this young person for the courage she has,and I know what it feels like to not get justice and you pass by the person involved in your situation, To not panic and stay strong is very rare, keep going Shauna, they will get theirs,
AND the public entities with all of their excuses……..
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I just finished watching MSNBC. I’m active duty military and haven’t been stationed a whole year yet and was very surprised to see that this was very close to where I live with my daughter. The second issue that I’m concerned about is that I fight for freedom for unsympathetic bastards like Damion. Were you involved in the crime? It makes me wonder how cruel anybody could be to somebody who just endured a traumatic situation. Wake up! Shes helping us realize that this crime is out there and could happen to your children. Shauna, I’m sorry for what happened, but thank you for being strong enough to let the rest of us know and to be aware.
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If your drugging somebody you would never give them cocaine methamphetaminie and ecstasy. That drug would make her so alert and aggressive they wouldn’t even be able to tie her down. Let alone how expensive that would be. This girl obviously went out and had a got involved in the wrong stuff and then when she got caught decided to sell this BS story.
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There are too many inconsistencies for this to be a “True” story. ie how old she was at the time of the attack (17) not 16, that she was sold for $300,000 over the internet (and they would tell her this for what reason?), etc.
I do believe that something horrible has happened to Shauna, but it is not the big melodramatic, ratings grabbing story that she and MSNBC made it out to be. I would bet that there is a book deal in the works, and lots of paid interviews, etc.
Oh, and as for the “…remarkably composed…” bit that opens the article that is splashed all over the web, of course she is composed, she was a child model for 10 years, she is very good at pretending and posing in front of the camera.
The sad part about Shauna’s very fishy story is that there are other women and girls who have really gone through a hellish experience like the ones later described in the MSNBC show. Every time a fabricator gets a story out in the media, and it goes widespread, one of the women who didn’t embellish her story loses credibility with the police, newsmedia, etc.
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anyone notice the people who are saying they don’t believe her are mostly men.
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Shauna,
You are truly an inspiration and a hero. You were raped and humiliated yet you have the courage to speak out and try to awaken the American people of this true problem. I truly admire you and my heart goes out to you and your family. Like you said, “God has a reason for everything” You’ll one day learn that reason. Just like the captain aboard the flight that landed into the Hudson River…I have a strong feeling your story will someday be responsible for saving someone’s life.
On the flip side, don’t let any negative comment affect what you are trying to achieve. No matter where you go you’ll always find people like that (It’s a part of life).
God bless you
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Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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Shauna, I am extremely sorry for what happened to you and proud of you for speaking to the media. I would also encourage you to press law enforcement to bring your rapists to justice before the statue of limitations runs up. I know how difficult it must be to talk to the police, but think of how awful you would feel if you saw on the news that another girl had been taken by these men as you had. You are a strong woman and you have the power to stop these evil people.
(and to the person who commented above me: keep your religious crap away from this girl! Having a tounge piercing or a child out of marriage or growing up in a divorced house doesn’t mean someone deserves to be raped. Just because they might not have the same value system as you doesn’t make her any less of a victim. you trying to discredit a legitimate rape victim because of her subsequent life choices makes you nearly as evil as the rapists.
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Shauna, Coming forward with your story like you have done is a very brave thing for you to do, Awareness is the first step in finding solutions to any issue, A part of coming forward is dealing with the negative reactions, As we will never understand the mind of a rapist, we will also never understand the minds of the people who can blame you, your mission is not to understand these people or to convince them of anything, Your a beautiful person with a beautiful heart and you are helping to bring awareness to the public and this will help change laws that will help other girls from going through what you have went through, With this I would like to say, Shauna I am very very very proud of you, God Bless you and your family, Mark
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The story on MSNBC just doesn’t add up. Shauna’s mom claims Shauna had been at the house with the girl on crutches. These would be identified accomplices in the crime. Why weren’t they prosecuted? The house Shauna is interviewed in front of where the rapes were to have occurred… how come the police can’t identify the owner or renter of that house during the time of the crime?
There are a lot of leads for police to work with according to the details of Shauna’s MSNBC story. It is surprising to me that no arrests have been made. I’m sorry for the violence that was inflicted on Shauna. But I think the story on MSNBC is hard to accept.
Seth
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Shauna,
Although there are a lot of inconsistencies between the story about you on MSNBC and in InWeekly, I think it’s clear you did undergo a horrible attack even if the particulars aren’t clear. I noticed that several of the accounts mention you seeing your rapists on the road, on the beach, and even in your front yard. If you can’t trust the Escambia County Sheriff’s office, call the FBI or someone, anyone, to help you, especially if these men are still trailing you. Don’t let these men continue to live in the community and hurt others!
~Valerie
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I dont believe Shauna’s story. Anyone who knows about drugs would know that the drugs that were found in her system were not drugs that are normally forced on someone. I honestly believe that she knew what she was doing and did everything willingly and only after she was found by her brother did she pretend that it was all done to her by force. I mean what teenage girl is going to admit they did these things to their parents.
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I am amazed by the folks who are so judgemental of this girl. I think they just don’t want to believe that something like this could happen in America. It’s the proverbial story of the victim on trial while her attackers are excused for their horrific crimes. I applaud her courage to come forward with her story.
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It’s sad to see that there are folks out there refuting the facts and pointing fingers by hypothesizing scenarios of what could have happened. The bottom line is that it does not matter whether she has put herself in this situation like some folks are suggesting or she was indeed taken against her will. Because the fact to the matter is that you’ve got criminals that used her weakness and younger age to abuse and take advantage of her. They must face justice. I am really sorry for her and I would encourage Shauna to start carryin concealed and get the proper training for it, and even more so to try to get the police to go after them at once.
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I am absolutely dumbfounded and truly saddened by the harsh words in many of these posts. Damion, Scott and you other bastards who have responded in such vile manners, you should be ashamed of yourselves but it is obvious from your ignorant rants that you are not easily shamed. I too noticed, that the negative ignorance is coming predominantly from men,go figure. Do you have sisters? daughters? wives? girlfriends? Can you really not put this into perspective? What a shame!
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Its hard to form an opinion… On one hand most of what is said here is probably true, but i wonder how were they able to sell Shauna over the internet for $300,000? And if they were would it not be in their best interest to keep her in healthy shape and not have her beaten up and drugged in a potentially fatal shape?
And how can the district attorney of this area not do anything at all?
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Also, what would raise doubt among some people is the fact, how this story is altered either slightly or significantly between news articles. I myself am not saying Shauna is a liar but what i do say is i do not believe she was sold to some Texan for 300,000.
I’m certainly sure if these things actually did happen selling American kids would show up on the news more often, but do not forget how much easier it is to just pick up an illegal immigrant as opposed to an American; Also any so called rich business man would of refused to purchase Shauna, if he saw Shauna in such a terrible condition.
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Also, what would raise doubt among some people is the fact, how this story is altered either slightly or significantly between news articles. I myself am not saying Shauna is a liar but what i do say is i do not believe she was sold to some Texan for 300,000.
I’m certainly sure if these things actually did happen selling American kids would show up on the news more often, but do not forget how much easier it is to just pick up an illegal immigrant as opposed to an American; Also any so called rich business man would of refused to purchase Shauna, if he saw Shauna in such a terrible condition. .
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I feel so angry for what happened to Shauna. I am also angry at disrespectful and heartless treatment of Shauna by the Police and the medical personnel. They are incredibly insensitive. What happened to protect and serve. I am so angry with them.
I am finding more and more the police are becoming one of the major problems in cases.
Soon as wrong doing happens by the police.They minimize and cover it up and even stop investigating criminals.Such as the case here.
Shauna Thanks for speaking out.
I have much respect for you.
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She is very hoT!
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The law states that a parent has the right to be present during an interrogation of a minor (which Shauna would have been at the time). I highly doubt that the police would have “forgotten” that. I’m sorry, but the whole thing is very fishy.
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