Flight attendants see passengers from many walks of life — it takes a lot to surprise an attendant; however, an oddly-matched pair caught the attention of Alaska Airlines flight attendant Sheila Fredrick.
On the flight from Seattle to San Francisco, Frederick noticed a well-dressed older man accompanying a much younger, disheveled teen girl. The girl had messy, greasy hair. Whenever attendants would try to speak to the young girl, the man would answer for her.
“Something in the back of my mind said something was not right. He was well-dressed. That’s what got me because I thought why is he well-dressed and she is looking all dishevelled and out of sorts,” Frederick said.
Acting on instinct, Frederick whispered to the girl to go to the bathroom. The girl complied. When she got to the found a note Frederick had scribbled asking the girl if she was okay. The girl wrote on the back of the note, “I need help” and left the note in the bathroom for Frederick to find.
Frederick told the pilots about the situation and they called the police.
As it turns out, Frederick’s instinct was accurate and she likely saved the young girl’s life — the girl was a victim of human trafficking.
“If you see something, say something,” Frederick said.
Learn how to spot the signs of human trafficking. By knowing the signs, you could save a life. Let us know your thoughts and pass this along as a reminder that things aren’t always as they seem.
