The reward for data relating to the homicide of Tioni Theus, a 16-year-old Black lady who was discovered lifeless alongside a freeway in California earlier this month, will probably exceed $110,000, metropolis and state officers introduced Wednesday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom's workplace pledged $50,000 from the state for the reward, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed so as to add $10,000 earlier this week. The Los Angeles Metropolis Council will vote on whether or not to contribute one other $50,000 subsequent week, in keeping with the Los Angeles Occasions.
Theus, final seen January 7 when she advised her father whereas leaving her Compton dwelling that she was assembly a good friend to go to a celebration, was discovered lifeless the subsequent day alongside an off-ramp of the 110 freeway with a gunshot wound in her neck, in keeping with The Related Press.
Los Angeles County District Legal professional George Gascón stated Wednesday that there's proof to recommend that Theus might have been the sufferer of human trafficking, though he didn't elaborate on the proof that led to that perception, in keeping with KCOP-TV.
"This speaks as to why we have to do extra for survivors of human trafficking, particularly youngsters who're exceptionally weak to the coercive techniques of traffickers," Gascón stated, in keeping with the LA Occasions.
Relations additionally reportedly described Theus to the Occasions as vibrant and clever, however stated she endured a traumatic expertise when a hit-and-run accident left her mom bodily and mentally disabled. A cousin advised the LA Occasions that after the accident, Theus met a person in his 20s via Instagram who the household believes led her into the world of intercourse trafficking.
"We're undoubtedly not pretending that Tioni was an angel. She confronted trauma," Theus' cousin Nafeesah Kincy advised the Occasions. "I wish to humanize her. I do not need her to be seen as a prostitute or a runaway or any individual that folks really feel like, 'Oh, nicely, they stay that life-style.'"
Relations and neighborhood activists have additionally questioned why the reward, pushed above $100,000 Wednesday, was initially nonexistent, and continues to be considerably lower than half of the $250,000 reward that was supplied for data within the homicide of Brianna Kupfer, a 24-year-old white lady who was murdered in Los Angeles earlier this month, in keeping with the Occasions.
The household pointed to the truth that data was despatched and an arrest was made inside 24 hours of the announcement of the reward for Kupfer's killer, the LA Occasions reported.
Contemplating Theus was discovered on the freeway, which is state property, her demise is being investigated by the California Freeway Patrol with help from the Los Angeles Police Division, in keeping with KCAL-TV.
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