Kelly was a typical teenager who thought her parents would never understand her. "That's the perfect escape plan" - she thought at first. However, as the car was driving her further and further away from safety, she started realizing she might have made a terrible mistake. Kelly was definitely in danger.
Her heart was racing as she stared out the window. What could save her? Suddenly, she remembered a trend she had seen on TikTok. As Kelly began to do the viral trend, she sent up a silent prayer. Would anyone recognize the sign? If not, that might be the last time anyone sees her….alive!
An Online Connection
Kelly was a rebellious high school student. Her parents, as well as all those strict rules they have at school, were making her extremely mad. So like many other teenagers, Kelly started speaking to someone online and complaining about all those problems she had in her life.
Finally, someone heard and understood her! It was amazing making a new virtual friend and Kelly looked forward to their chats. The person she was chatting with said they could relate to her struggles and were always available to comfort her. Kelly had no idea that the other end of the computer was her worse nightmare.
The First Meeting
Kelly always looked forward to chats with her online friend and was surprised when they told her they would be in her neighborhood. At first, Kelly thought it was weird because her friend had never told her they lived close by before. After an argument with her parents, Kelly needed to get out!
She sent out a message and quickly received a response. They were super nearby and their uncle could drive them to get a soda. Kelly felt better an adult would be there and said she was on her way out the door. The person she trusted the most was the person she should’ve been the most scared of.
Immediate Danger
Kelly got to the meeting location and saw an older gentleman sitting in his car. The car matched the description of her friend's uncle. He saw her and waved! Kelly slowly walked over to the car, and the man asked if she was Kelly! He smiled and said his nephew had just gone to the bathroom.
It was cold out and Kelly knew her friend would be back in a second. The man suggested Kelly wait in the car and she hesitated before saying ok and getting into the backseat. As soon as the door closed the car doors locked. Kelly's gut immediately tied in knots as the man behind the wheel began backing the car out of the parking lot.
Things Were Spiraling
Kelly began to hyperventilate and asked the old man driving the car where her friend was. He continued driving and said, they were going to come back and pick them up. He forgot something at home. He even turned around to smile and said it would just be a minute.
Kelly took out her cellphone and in one swift motion, the driver grabbed it from her hands. I’ll keep this safe he said but Kelly already knew that neither she nor her phone was in a safe situation.
A Dangerous Trap
This method of kidnapping was unfortunately also common. Kids were meeting what they thought were other teenagers online and then getting a rude awakening when they met in person. Even though Kelly was 16, she had still fallen into a dangerous trap.
With no cell phone and no idea about who the driver was, Kelly knew she had to cooperate. She decided to quietly wait and see what happened. Her kidnapper was in a chatty mood and told Kelly everything his “nephew” had said about her. The driver knew details that Kelly would never tell a grown man, let alone a complete stranger.
The First Night
The man drove for a couple of hours and then they finally arrived at a house. Kelly waited to see what the man would do. She began to hope that maybe there still was a teenager inside and this was just a funny twist of events.
All hope went out the window when the driver turned around. “Listen, Kelly, this is my home. I’m going to let you come inside because we’re friends. We can be even better friends if you don’t say anything to anyone.” Kelly knew she would have only one chance for her freedom and escape, but when would it happen?
A Family Dinner
It was as if the old man could read her mind and he said, “If you cooperate then I’ll drive you home tomorrow. If you misbehave I’ll call your parents and let them know what you’ve been saying about them.”
Kelly was in a terrible situation. Would he actually call them and tell them everything she had complained about to her online friend? Kelly slowly nodded her head and stepped out of the car. She had no idea who was waiting for her in the house.
Was This A Rescue Attempt?
The old man brought her into the house. The smells of home cooking wafted through the halls and Kelly’s empty stomach growled. He gave her one menacing look and then put her cellphone in his pocket.
Suddenly the other people in the house were asking the old man who she was. They were confused why she was with him, and Kelly could see him panicking under pressure. She didn’t know if she should yell and scream or wait for the other adults to save her. Even in a room full of adults Kelly felt very alone and scared.
There Was No Appropriate Answer
It was clear that the old man had not thought this through and was visibly shaken by the questions. He quickly back peddled out of the house and Kelly glanced over her shoulder. Would anyone call the cops and alert them to her situation and kidnapper?
The old man put her into the passenger seat of the car and then got into the driver’s side. He was muttering to himself and Kelly waited a second before saying, “I don’t even know your name….”
A Retired Criminal
He told her she could call him Brick, and the nickname gave Kelly horrible images of him attacking her. She didn’t ask any other questions while he drove them away from the house. It was dark out and she was alone for the first time with an adult she didn’t know.
Kelly fought back tears and tried to think of things that made her smile. She refused to let Brick know how she felt or that she was scared. One video kept replaying in her mind and an idea began to form on how she could get to safety.
Dance Trends & Viral Videos
Kelly was 16 years old and loved learning the latest dance trends on TikTok. While scrolling she would occasionally watch other videos as well. She remembered one where a woman was chatting with a friend and was asking for help.
Kelly was thinking of the CWF campaign. She didn’t know if anyone would recognize the hand gesture, but she knew Brick was too old to watch TikTok. She looked out onto the dark streets and prayed someone would be able to see her silent call for help.
The Campaign Was Memorable
The campaign was a really quick video that started off with two women on FaceTime. The woman who was calling her friend had told her she needed a banana bread recipe. In the background, you can see her spouse or partner.
It’s clear the woman calling her friend is upset and needs more than a banana bread recipe. The campaign answers the popular question, how can you ask for help without saying a word.
The Signal
The woman then makes a hand gesture that has become internationally recognized as “HELP!” The CWF says the way to make this gesture is, “Face your palm forward and with your thumb tucked in, then close your other fingers over your thumb and close into a fist.”
When the campaign was launched it was mainly directed at domestic violence, but it is appropriate for anyone that needs help. Kelly was running out of time, she had no idea where her captor was taking her and her only hope was in her hands.
A Hero Drove By
Kelly made the signal to hundreds of cars that were passing them by. She fell asleep as they continued to drive and then woke up and started doing it again. She began more animated and told Brick that she was waving to other cars when he questioned the strange action.
One driver saw the young girl making the hand signals and recognized it from social media as well! They pulled over and immediately called local authorities. Had Kelly’s parents even called the police yet?
A Parental Lock
Kelly’s parents knew she was mad when she left the house but it was unlike her to not answer the calls and texts. She had been gone for several hours and it was getting dark. When she wasn’t back by the early hour of the morning, they knew it was time to alert the authorities.
When Kelly’s parents called in her disappearance the local police force knew they didn’t have a spare moment to waste. The first 24 hours in a missing person case was critical. They were in a race against time.
Gathering The Important Details
The police force needed to know what Kelly was wearing and where she was going. Her parents felt embarrassed over the details they couldn’t remember. Any small extra tip they could provide the police would be extremely helpful.
The police then asked to look at Kelly’s computer. As the screen booted up, they got their first clue in the case. She had left her chat open and the agreed location. They drove to the address and got ready to question the staff. They were about to find out that Kelly had never made it inside.
They Needed A Break In The Case
The trail was completely cold. When they got to the agreed fast food location, the staff said Kelly had never been inside. No one had seen a teenage girl by herself at all. With that being the only clue, the force was frustrated.
It was then that a driver in Asheville, North Carolina, a town 140 miles away phoned in a strange occurrence. They saw a girl in a car ahead of them making a signal that she needed help! The local authorities checked if there were any missing children alerts, and the puzzle pieces began to fall into place.
An Unknown Tail
While the driver in Asheville NorthCarolina was giving the local force his information, more callers began calling in about seeing a distressed teenager driving by them. The force was able to begin tracking the car’s movements.
It became impressive police work that was being led by civilians. When the force realized the missing teen was from a city in a different state, the driver told them he would stay behind the car. They were going to rescue Kelly, but the time was ticking away……
A Perfect Trap
With the help of the civilians, the force was able to set up a stop. They knew the exact location of the car and set up the emergency police stop a safe distance away. When Brick arrived with Kelly in the passenger seat she began to hold her breath.
Was it possible this emergency traffic stop was for her? Kelly became overwhelmed thinking about how worried her parents were and the lengths they had gone to help her. Help was finally right in front of her, but would anything go wrong to ruin her escape?
Caught Red Handed
The authorities blocked Brick’s car in. He couldn’t move without turning into a new police cruiser. Kelly finally started to cry tears of relief as she understood she was being rescued. Her nightmare was finally coming to an end.
The police had never heard of this hand signal that saved Kelly’s life. They wanted to understand where she had learned it and then they went a step further to help save other people’s lives.
A Different Educational Approach
When the local force realized what had saved Kelly’s life they knew they had to make an announcement to their community. The local force also made an instructional video and credited CWF for the universal gesture.
One small movement had saved Kelly’s life. What would happen to Brick, and who was her captor and creator of the worst nightmare? Had there ever been a younger family member or was Kelly speaking to him the entire time?
James Herbert Brick
Kelly’s kidnapper was James Herbert Brick and he would not be able to harm anyone for many years to come. After the police stopped his vehicle and got Kelly to safety, they charged Brick with two crimes.
Brick was shocked and didn’t understand how he had been caught. He had no idea that Kelly was silently screaming for help the entire journey. As he was arrested and processed he knew it would be a long time before he got out of jail.
Unlawful Imprisonment
James Herbert Brick was 61 years old and did not have a young nephew or younger family member. He had tricked Kelly for months gaining her trust. The Kentucky police charged him with unlawful imprisonment and possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor.
After he was arrested Brick was locked away in the Laurel County Correctional Center. His family was shocked and didn’t even offer to pay his $10,000 bond. He would never harm another minor again.
A TikTok To Save Lives
The story of Kelly’s rescue was picked up and spread quickly over news channels. Everyone was amazed she had found a life-saving tool on TikTok. More influencers began making videos in hopes to spread awareness and saving another life in the future.
For now, Kelly is safely at home and has a better relationship with her parents. Unlike other families, they never give her a hard time for being on social media, but they do ban her from using chat rooms for the foreseeable future.