I have mulled this situation around in my head for weeks now and have come to the conclusion that I would love some of your thoughts, because I am stumped.
A few weeks back I needed a few groceries and so I sent Liberty and Isaiah to the store for me. It was going to be a quick trip as she had to head to a youth group leadership meeting.
There are two grocery stores in semi-close proximity. One is less crowded, but the prices usually are better. The other is filled with people on any given day. Because the prices are better, I suggested they go to that one.
Once there, Liberty was texting me questions about what she was buying. You know, the kind of questions like, “Hey Mom!! They only have this size of such-n-such, do you still want it?”
So they shopped for a bit and then she phoned me to tell me that as she and Isaiah were walking thru the aisles when a young boy came up to her and handed Liberty a piece of paper. It was a store receipt and a male name and phone number were written on it. The young boy (about Isaiah’s age) looked a little bewildered and handing it to her he said, “Here. My dad wants you to have this.”
She wanted me to know that the man had given her his number (through the boy) and that she was entirely creeped out. Isaiah was also completely creeped out.
I told her to just pay and come home. After hanging up, I felt uneasy about it all. Why would a grown man want my Liberty to have his number?
She had not made eye contact with him, in fact she had had zero interaction with him at all. In the shopping, Isaiah had seen him and although he couldn’t describe him, he did say he had a fishing hat on.
After hanging up, I thought about it for a few moments and then went to tell Dw, who had just gotten home, about it. As I told Dw, I grabbed my phone and decided to call her back as Dw had that idea that he wanted her to go the customer service desk and get an escort out to the car.
The only thing was that she didn’t answer. So I called again. And again. I mean, literally just a few minutes had passed from me telling her to just come home and my trying to reach her and now there was no answer.
Anyway, I quickly called the customer service desk myself and told them the situation. They paged the store security, who took forevvvvvvvvver to come to the phone. (Drink molasses all day long or what?)
With Dw’s phone I continued calling Liberty and each call was unanswered. I now was getting panicky. I ran to Dw’s office at the front of the house and said, “Babe! I can’t reach her. The store security must eat molasses all the live-long day….please would you go to the store and see if they are all right??”
He said he was sure everything was fine, but jumped up and left. #besthusbandintheworld
I continued to call her phone. About 10 minutes later, the store security came to the phone as I explained the situation and right at that moment Liberty called.
She had put her phone away as they went through the check out and were walking to the car because we have talked greatly about not being distracted when in a parking lot! (Being distracted with a cell leaves more opportunity for creepers preying on unsuspecting folks.)
Anyway, all ended well.
But I am left with this unsettling feeling. I just can’t think of any good reason a grown man would want my 17 year old calling him?? His son was about 12 years old, so the guy was likely at least 30 years old. As I said, Liberty never saw the guy, but Isaiah did.
Since I am still trying to figure it all out….which obviously I really won’t know his motive, I am wondering…. what are your thoughts?
Liberty was a bit unnerved by it all and we have decided that she won’t be going to the other store again. Ever.
Hate to say this but he was probably trying to hook up with her. She is a pretty young woman. He probably thought Isaiah was her son.
Lisa
I would get the number and call him and confront him about this. Let the police know also. That’s really creepy.
Yes, I would go to the police too
Hi Linny,
I’ve recently started volunteering with a ministry that helps trafficked women. In our training they said traffickers use younger children or peer aged teens to approach the young women since your guard would be up if it were a man. I’m so glad Liberty is safe. What a sad, lost world we live in.
this is what I was thinking. Isaiah is 8-10? I think he’s too old to appear to be her son
Yep, probably some guy hoping/thinking she was older than she was, and wanting to get some action. You’d have had to bail me out of jail if I’d been there and that happened to my daughter. Lol. You could always make a phone call to the number he gave and let him know what’s up haha 🙂
Was thinking the same thing as Lisa. But, I would agree that she is never to go to the other store again, at least, not without Dw. 😘 Glad that she is okay. I can only imagine how you felt.
Love you!
Sounds like sex trafficking to me.
Please have DW call this number which Liberty received and have a friendly chat about soliciting children and about the fact that he has passed on the note with the phone number to your local police. One phone number handed to a teen in a store by a child for an adult likely is not the first incident. Lord Help!!
Oh Linny, praise God she is safe. I hear stories like that all the time in our ministry and my instinct is that this was a terrible man. It’s textbook for first contact for human trafficking and they target girls (and boys) her age and slightly younger. He likely picked her out based on her being there without an adult and a little brother in tow, figuring she was fending for them both in this world. I know I am in NC and it might be a bit different there in your neck of the woods but this is an issue few are talking about. In our ministry, we specifically are serving girls who have been exploited and victimized in trafficking and the commercial sex industry. It happens every single day. In fact, I answered our hotline three weeks ago to a hysterical girl who had just been beat up after her “boyfriend” tried to sell her for $25. I wish I was making this stuff up. So all that to say, your Liberty was smart to alert you right away and you were smart to immediately call security. It might open up a good conversation about this issue with your kids… It’s a hard conversation to have but so necessary. 🙁
Did you call the number yourself? My guess – sex trafficker. The boy might not have been his son but another boy caught up in it. I would a called it and depending on my creepiness called authorities after.
Have you considered calling him yourself and asking?
I’d have DW call the number and find out just what the man
wanted by having his son give Liberty his phone number.
Maybe then the man would think twice about giving his
phone number to any other young woman by way of his son.
Just my thought.
Linny, no doubt he had NOTHING good for your girl in mind. Many of these creepers realize that SO many of our young ladies are hungering for male attention and many WILL and ARE doing unthinkable things to get that attention. Going behind families backs to meet up with strangers, (there are actual APPS they use for this). He thought your daughter just may be one of those girls. Praise God she had been raised well, has a daddy that has loved her well, and knew to call you straight away.
I know this sounds terrible, but, it sounds like a human trafficking set-up. And the metro area is a popular place to “shop” for young girls. Often pimps will send a young person to another person to establish repior, I get chills just thinking about it! I’m so glad that Liberty and Isaiah are safe!
Isnt it possible he was a nice guy who made a mistake about her age? from what I have seen Liberty is tall, dignified, and poised… maybe he just thought she seemed wonderful (which she is), made an understandable mistake in thinking she was in her early to mid 20s, and he would like to get to know her? I was single until 36 and I had quite a few guys approach me in public places, sometimes giving me their number… it never ended creepy, in my experience. I can see it being a good idea for DW to call… but maybe assuming the guy is innocent and just letting him know he made a mistake? with the added benefit that if the guy sees her again around town, he knows she has a very involved father looking out for her… just in case he should be tempted to try anything creepy.
If he did not give his name, you can do an online search to find out who owns that number. You can then pay a small fee to see if this person has a police record etc. Go from there with that info. It wouldn’t hurt to know. Maybe it was a pick up attempt and he thought your daughter was older. Not sure I would call the number in case it is a cell, then he would have your number.
This post is speaking to me, and not in a good way.
Children come up missing all the time.
I have grandchildren, they are schooled in awareness.
He may of stocked her? or Isaiah.? Be aware when ever out and about.
Better safe than sorry. Im sorry that happened.
Praying for your family.
I am in agreement with everyone else. He had no good in mind. Especially since the boy wasn’t too happy about sending her the message. It’s time for a big time safety talk at your house.
We had to have one too recently. My son, who is 14 was waiting at our equivalent of a sub station waiting for his bus when a 20 something (by my son’s estimation) man approached and started talking to him. Told him he was in town for a funeral and all this sad stuff. Even asked my son’s opinion on a few things. My son looks 14 for sure, not any older. At the end of the conversation he insisted my son take his number. My son is good with numbers but only pretended to put it in his phone. The guy asked if he had the number and my son was able to rattle it off without issue so played it off well.
But later he was bugged by it. Why did this guy want me to have his number so badly. What was he really up to?
Needless to say it was time for a safety message for sure!
Dear Linny,
My first mother bear instinct was sex trafficking as well! Praise the Lord Liberty made it home safely!
I have a 21 and 19 year old daughter and frankly I am freaked out about sex trafficking! They won a trip to Amsterdam last February and the only way I survived was by God’s grace.
Praying for your precious family!
Please call me about this!!!! Internationalcrisisaid.org give phone number to authorities and explain the incident the only way to get johns off the street and save lives is to prosecute this may help fbi track or catch several predators. Pat Bradley the founder goes to my church they rehabilitate completely through the love of Jesus and have a huge success rate across the world and in st. louis he was asked by the fbi to work with them on starting safe homes in USA and prosecuting sex trafficking here because of his ministries across the world.
I say that because your instinct as a momma is Never wrong. It’s a God given gift.
I would strongly suggest filing a police report. When I was 17, a man in his 50s began frequenting my workplace because he was interested in me. After he made some suggestive comments, I told him to leave me alone. Fortunately, he did. However, I wish to this day that I had called the police. I wonder how many other underage girls he has targeted over the years?
I’d take to the police and let them deal with it and perhaps call the guy or check it out rather than getting your family involved further. Glad you are all safe and asking for peace restored to your heart
I would tell the police about it and give them the phone number. This will allow them the opportunity to call posing as Liberty to catch this guy if, in fact, it was a sex trafficking scheme. If any of you call the number, then the police lose that opportunity because you will have tipped him off.
Police should handle it. They could track the number he gave to her. No messing with it yourself. If DW calls, then the guy will have his number and could track where you live. Gives me the creeps. Trafficking is my thoughts.
Be safe.Glad Libery is, ok and that Isaiah was with her. Was the young boy that gave her the note with the guy?
Another one thinking he was a sex trafficker. I would report it to your local police but not attempt any contact on your own. Child sex trafficking is sadly huge these days and your local police probably have a team working on it. Your call could help protect many other young lives!!
You know what I’d do. Since inappropriate intentions are suspected and that red flag is going up, I’d contact the police with your suspicions. They can probably ask the store for their video feed that day and you could get a clearer picture. He may have thought ‘she’ was the one being trafficked and wanted to help her. You never know. And with the police involved, you could then call via speaker phone at the police station and have them listen in yo the conversation. If he were hoping for something inappropriate, perhaps he’s fine it before with others. They might already suspect someone with his description and need his picture or voice to show others to make a case.
So thankful that Liberty and Isaiah are home safe and sound! I would NOT call the number myself. However, I would give the information to the authorities and let them handle it. I agree with the others who have said that their first instinct was trafficking. Hopefully the authorities will act on it. If there is a trafficking ring in your area, that number may be a piece of the puzzle that they need to help shut it down. If it’s not a trafficking situation and it is just a creepy old man wanting to be with a young woman, maybe the authorities contacting him would at least scare him enough that he won’t do something like that again.
Please go to the police. Don’t call the number. I’m thinking it is sex trafficking as well. Maybe you can help save others if you go to the police. Sex trafficking is actually huge here in the US too. I had no idea until our church became involved in a local ministry to help victims of it.
Also I never used my kids’ real names on my blog. I rarely post these days but still use pseudo names if I do. Might be a good idea for yours or be sure your kids know that just bc someone knows their name doesn’t mean they aren’t strangers.
IF you have that guy’s number, take it to the police with Liberty and make a report!
As everyone has said, he had evil intentions. Liberty had that GUT INSTINCT (the Holy Spirit, PTK, plus woman’s intuition), Isaiah had it, you KNOW you had it and dad had it too.
He could be a registered sex offender, and the police could identify him by his no. They could check on the “son”. I think God offered a big clue to you, “wearing a fishing hat”. One, from a security point of view, fishing hats will cover the face from security cameras more than other types of caps or hats 2.”Fishing” for vulnerable teens/kids. IF you don’t have the no. now that weeks have passed, I’m sure you cannot forget the day. The police can pull security video footage IF you make a report.
My son is a Police Officer up here. He would rather take a report and follow up on it, than searching for a missing person/teen/child victim.
I Thank God that the Blood of Jesus and Psalm 91 cover you and your family always. In this day, in this hour, though, we must be wise, and teach our children how to be AWARE and ALERT, and how to defend themselves. In that defense, for a spirit filled Christian, is a weapon I used as a child many, many times against my demon-possessed father. Pointed and said, “I bind you in the Name Of Jesus, and by the Power of His Blood”. I tell you, he would try to punch, and his arm would be stopped in mid-air, and he became anchored to that arm – like a big angel had grasped him by his forearm. He would freeze in the middle of a violent rage, and so on.
So many people and youth get so absorbed into the world of their cell phones (if they are I-phones, etc…), that they become absolutely detached from their surroundings and reality. Recall the demonic Pokemon app. My son had his Cruiser going 35mph lights and sirens Code 3, and a young man playing Pokemon stepped right out into the street a few feet in front of him. Thank God he was able to miss him!
Anyhow, you get the point. People who are not aware are easy targets.
Commend Liberty for paying attention to the “alarms” that went off. Take this as a “gift” from God to educate your kids and role play through different scenarios. If she would be able to do it differently…leave the wagon, grab her brother and go to the nearest store clerk and request security NOW, call police, then call mom. Store staff can fetch the grocery cart.
Peace and grace to you and yours, Cheryl.
I presume you still have the number on the receipt. The whole matter should be, at the very least turned over to the authorities – do make a copy of both the front and back of the receipt before you give it to them for your records. I would also suggest your family lawyer be consulted for advice as to the proper way to proceed.
Oh Linny, I had something also scary happen to me when I was around 22 years old at a Barnes & Noble in the middle of the day! At the back of the store a guy exposed himself to me and looked at me really creepily. I did the wrong thing by being too embarrassed to go to a main desk to tell something. I just left the store… But that’s when he followed behind me carrying a gym bag filled with who knows what and he was trying to come to my car, but hopped in his close by and blocked me in the lot and then tried to follow me but I got away. This was all in plain day-light too! Needless to say I was very shaken up and had to file a police report… Not just for me, but so another woman would not become a victim of his. The Barnes & Noble had to change the layout of their store and said that they can always walk a woman out to her car if she is threatened by anyone. The police officers encouraged me to park close when going into stores and just as the Barnes & Noble said to let someone know always before leaving the store, The police said don’t hesitate to call us.
Liberty’s case is different in the sense that it sounds like the classic sex trafficking set ups where a child is used in the store to converse with the victim. Totally makes me want to throw up that this stuff goes on, but it does, don’t ever be afraid to contact the police… As they told me not only will it help me, but it can help the next young woman being targeted by this individual.
The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but thank God Jesus came to give us life and life abundant (where we don’t have to live in fear.) He gives wisdom to all who ask (you are asking) and after my eye opening experience I have been given a little wisdom. There are creepy men out there, you are not in the wrong ever to tell someone when you are feeling unsafe and let them help you. Learn from my mistake, don’t ever go to the parking lot by yourself when you’ve been preyed upon (watched, stalked, or approached inappropriately.) Most crimes happen in the parking lot. My prayers are with your family for wisdom, discernment, protection, and healing for all from what Liberty experienced. Thank God she and Isaiah are physically safe!
I second what everyone said. Two thumbs up for Liberty telling you, wish she had contacted Security or Management and asked them to stay with her while she finished the shopping and waited for you to arrive and follow her home. Safety in numbers.
Oh Linny! I read this last night and it gave me goosebumps…and not the good kind! I’m inclined to agree with so many others that it should be reported to the police. Just thinking about it again in this moment makes my skin crawl. Praising Jesus for His protection over Liberty and Isaiah and for her knowing to tell you so quickly!!
I don’t usually comment on blogs but I feel compelled to comment on this.
I know EXACTLY what his motives would be and I’d be contacting your local police with his number. Soliciting teenage girls is frighteningly serious, and one day there may be a more naive kid who might actually call him back.
Hopefully the grocery store might have surveillance the police could get. This is serious business.
Don’t give the number to just any police. Find out who investigates sex trafficking an/or child predators and talk to them directly or it might just get swept under the rug. Unfortunately a call from “some girl’s dad” is not going to change this guy. The right authorities can pose as a young girl and bust him so that a young girl doesn’t actually get mixed up with him.
Linny,
I know someone at GN that might be able to investigate this a little deeper. I will talk to you on Sunday about this…
Thanks,
Danielle
Linny, I messaged you on FB but thought I should also post here as well for readers. It absolutely sounds like trafficking. Call the anti-trafficking hotline. 1.888.373.7888 and give them as many details as you can remember along with the phone number you were given. Also ask them to transfer you to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. And of course file a police report being sure to speak with someone who deals directly with trafficking, because, as mentioned above, it may be mishandled or swept under the rug or dismissed. The three agencies will see of the phone number is in their system. Praising Jesus for Liberty’s quick thinking and instinct.