A NIGHTMARISH CASE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN LIVINGSTON COUNTY, WHERE A WOMAN SAYS SHE
ESCAPED A MAN WHO HELD HER
CAPTIVE FOR YEARS.
>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US HERE
AT SIX. I’M KIMBERLY GILL. GOOD
EVENING, EVERYBODY. I’M KAREN
DREW IN FOR DEVIN SCILLIAN
TONIGHT. SO NEIGHBORS KNEW
SOMETHING WASN’T QUITE RIGHT
WITH A WOMAN THEY SOMETIMES SAW
BRIEFLY OUTSIDE OF A HOME IN
UNADILLA TOWNSHIP. NOW, THAT
WOMAN WAS TRYING TO FIND A WAY
OUT AND EVENTUALLY DID. SHAWN
LEY SPOKE WITH THE POLICE CHIEF
, ALSO A NEIGHBOR. SHAWN. THIS
COMMUNITY HAS GOT TO BE IN SHOCK
. THEY TRULY ARE THE VICTIM NOW.
>> KAREN IS 24 YEARS OLD. SHE
WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE. POLICE TELL
ME TO YEARS AGO. BUT THIS IS
COMING UP NOW BECAUSE POLICE SAY
SHE HAS RECOVERED ENOUGH. THE
VICTIM THAT SHE PICKED UP THE
PHONE AND CALLED THE NATIONAL
HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE TO SAY
SHE DOES NOT WANT ANYONE ELSE TO
BECOME A VICTIM OF THE PERSON
SHE SAYS SHE WAS WITH. WHEN I
HEARD ABOUT THIS, I JUST GOT
CHILLS BECAUSE WE ALWAYS SEEN
THAT GIRL OUT THERE THAT GOT
AWAY FROM HIM AND IT JUST BREAKS
MY HEART. NEIGHBORS SAY DARRYL
LANSING HAD A MEAN STREAK
ALLEGEDLY THREATENING TO SHOOT A
NEIGHBOR. THEY ALSO SAW A YOUNG
GIRL WORKING IN LANDON’S YARD.
THEY NOTICED SHE NEVER LEFT THE
YARD, NEVER SPOKE TO ANYONE. AND
THEN SOMEONE WOULD SAY HI TO HER
AND SHE WOULD NOT RESPOND.
>> BUT BUT I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE
. BUT. WELL, APPARENTLY SHE WAS
BRAINWASHED, SO SHE DIDN’T GIVE
ANYBODY ANY INDICATION THAT SHE
WAS IN DANGER. PEOPLE NOW IN
SHOCK THAT UP THESE STAIRS IS
WHERE UNADILLA TOWNSHIP POLICE
FOUND WEAPONS, COMPUTERS AND
CAMERAS, A SETUP WHERE THEY
BELIEVE LANSING WAS FORCING THE
GIRL TO PERFORM SEX SHOWS ONLINE
FOR MONEY THAT HE KEPT.
>> POLICE SAY THIS WENT ON FOR
YEARS. YEAH THIS IS EXACTLY THE
POSTER CHILD CASE.
>> I GUESS, FOR HUMAN
TRAFFICKING. PRETTY SURPRISED.
WE DON’T EXPECT THIS KIND OF
THING IN A SMALL COMMUNITY LIKE
THIS. IT’S UNUSUAL.
>> HOWELL UNADILLA TOWNSHIP
POLICE CHIEF DAVID RUSSELL SAYS
LANSING IS FROM ALASKA AND MADE
CONTACT WITH THE GIRL THROUGH
SOCIAL MEDIA. WHEN SHE WAS 17 OR
18. THE CHIEF SAYS LANSING DROVE
TO ANOTHER STATE TO PICK THE
GIRL UP, MOVING HERE AND
DOMINATED EVERY PHASE OF HER
LIFE. BUT IN THE END, DURING
THOSE FORCED SHOWS ONLINE, THE
GIRL WAS ABLE TO INDICATE TO
SOMEONE WATCHING THAT SHE WAS IN
TROUBLE AND SHE WAS ABLE TO
CONNECT WITH SOMEBODY WHO WAS
WILLING TO HELP HER.
>> AND SHE COORDINATED A TIME TO
BE OUTSIDE WHEN THIS PERSON
WOULD BE OUTSIDE AND SHE WAS
ABLE TO SNEAK AWAY FROM HIM AND
GET IN A CAR AND FLEE THE AREA.
>> AND IT JUST BREAKS MY HEART
WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH. BUT I’M
GLAD SHE GOT AWAY. SHE
EVENTUALLY DID GET AWAY,
ACCORDING TO POLICE.
>> NOW, IN ADDITION TO THE
ALLEGATIONS HERE, THERE’S
ALLEGATIONS OF BEATINGS AND
SEXUAL ASSAULT. SO LET’S GET TO
THE CHARGES HERE. CRIMINAL
SEXUAL ASSAULT, MULTIPLE CHARGES
PLUS UNLAWFUL IMPRISONMENT. AND
MORE ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
THE NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING
HOTLINE. THERE IS THE NUMBER ON
YOUR SCREEN. KAREN, WE’LL PUT
THAT ON OUR WEBSITE,
CLICKONDETROIT.COM, ALONG WITH
LOTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE
SUBTLE SIGNS TO LOOK FOR IF
SOMEONE IS IN A SIMILAR
SITUATION. WE’RE LIVE TONIGHT.
SHAWN LEY, LOCAL 4. SO IMPORTANT
TO NOTICE THOSE SIGNS AND REPORT
THOSE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE
ARE SOME QUESTIONABLE SCENARIOS
THAT WE SEE SOMETIMES EVERY DAY
AND WE DON’T REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT.
>> SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, SHAWN.
WE APPRECIATE IT. NEW
INFORMATION TONIGHT ABOUT A
STORY WE FIRST REPORTED IN
JANUARY WHEN A FIVE YEAR OLD
LITTLE BOY WAS FOUND OUTSIDE IN
FREEZING COLD WEATHER AND LATER
DIED AT THE HOSPITAL. THE BOY’S
MOTHER, DEREK FLEMING, IS NOW
CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY
MANSLAUGHTER, WHICH IS A FELONY.
THE MACOMB COUNTY PROSECUTOR
SAYS FLEMING PUT HER SON TO BED
IN THEIR CLINTON TOWNSHIP
APARTMENT, THEN LEFT THE HOME TO
SPEAK WITH AN UPSTAIRS NEIGHBOR
. THAT’S WHEN THE BOY WANDERED
OUTSIDE IN FRIGID CONDITIONS AND
WAS EVENTUALLY DISCOVERED IN A
NEARBY PARK. FLEMING FACES UP TO
15 YEARS IN PRISON IF CONVICTED
. KID. WELL, THE TIME BETWEEN
MEMORIAL DAY AND LABOR DAY ARE
KNOWN AS THE 100 DEADLIEST DAYS
FOR TEEN DRIVERS. MORE THAN 30%
OF DEATHS INVOLVING TEEN DRIVERS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ACTUALLY
OCCUR DURING THAT TIME PERIOD,
ACCORDING TO TRIPLE A. MEGAN
WOODS JOINS US NOW LIVE. AND
MEGAN, THE STATS ARE EVEN MORE
ALARMING FOR MICHIGAN. THAT’S
RIGHT, KAREN.
>> SO WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
MICHIGAN, EVERY YEAR, AN AVERAGE
OF 64 TEEN DRIVERS DIE IN A
CRASH AND 36% OF THOSE CRASHES
HAPPEN DURING THESE DEADLY 100
DAYS. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, A
NATIONAL STUDY DONE BY THE ZEBRA
SHOWS THAT MICHIGAN IS THE MOST
DANGEROUS STATE FOR TEEN
DRIVERS. SO WHAT DO PARENTS DO?
WELL, WE SPOKE TO TRIPLE A AND
THEY HAVE A FEW SUGGESTIONS OR A
FEW IDEAS FOR PARENTS. TAKE A
LOOK. FOR 19 YEAR OLD NIA
TRUEHEART, SOMETIMES GETTING
BEHIND THE WHEEL, IT IS NERVE
WRACKING BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE
DON’T BE PAYING ATTENTION. AND
IT’S EVEN MORE NERVE WRACKING
FOR HER MOM, KIMBERLY TRUEHEART
.
>> BUT I ALWAYS TELL HER SHE HAS
TO WATCH OUT FOR THE OTHER
DRIVER. THEN THERE’S THE FACT
THAT THERE ARE MORE ORANGE CONES
AND BARRELS UP THIS YEAR.
>> SHE’S COMING HERE TO WORK.
>> SHE’S IN CONSTRUCTION AND
SHE’S COMING HOME. SHE’S IN
CONSTRUCTION AND SHE’S GOING TO
THE MALL. SHE’S IN CONSTRUCTION
TOGETHER.
>> THEY’RE PROACTIVE.
>> SOMETIMES IF YOU HAVE TO
DEVIATE FROM THE EXPRESSWAY, I
WANT TO MAKE SURE SHE KNOWS HOW
TO GO. SO WE KIND OF TALK ABOUT
WHERE TO GO, WHERE’S THE SAFE
PLACES TO GO AND WHERE IT’S NOT
THE SAFE PLACE TO GO.
>> BUT IT IS ALARMING TO HEAR
THOSE 100 DEADLIEST DAYS FOR
TEENS STATS. PEOPLE HAVE PASSED
IN CAR ACCIDENTS AROUND MY AGE,
SO IT IS SAD TO HEAR THAT.
>> A SPOKESPERSON FROM TRIPLE A
SAYS THIS TIME OF YEAR, TEENS
ARE OUT OF SCHOOL AND HANGING
OUT MORE.
>> DISTRACTED DRIVING IS AN
ISSUE FOR TEEN DRIVERS.
DISTRACTION FROM CELL PHONES,
INFOTAINMENT CENTERS.
>> BUT THE MAIN DISTRACTION FOR
TEENS ARE OTHER TEEN PASSENGER
WAS HER SUGGESTION SET UP THE
GPS BEFORE PULLING OFF AND BEING
MORE INVOLVED.
>> AS YOUR TEEN LEARNS HOW TO
DRIVE, BE AWARE OF WHERE YOUR
TEENS ARE GOING AND WHO’S WITH
THEM.
>> WHILE THEY’RE OUT DRIVING.
AND THIS IS THE HARD PART.
>> TRIPLE A SAYS THAT PARENTS,
GRANDPARENTS, AUNTS AND UNCLES
WHEN TEENS ARE IN THE CAR. YOU
SET AN EXAMPLE. SO THAT MEANS NO
DISTRACTED DRIVING, NO SPEEDING.
SO THAT WAY THEY LEARN FROM YOU
AS THEY ARE GETTING THAT DRIVING
LICENSE OR THAT PERMIT. AND SO
THEY CAN GET THAT INFORMATION
FROM YOU. AND YOU LEAD BY
EXAMPLE. THEY ALSO HAVE AN
ONLINE TOOL. WE’LL PUT THAT ON
CLICKONDETROIT.COM REPORTING
LIVE, I’M MEGAN WOODS, LOCAL 4.
>> SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE TEEN
DRIVERS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU,
MEGAN. NEW RESEARCH SHOWS MANY
MICHIGAN PET OWNERS ARE NOT
FOLLOWING THE RULES THAT
ESPECIALLY APPLIES TO RENTERS.
IT’S ESTIMATED ABOUT 234,000
PETS ARE LIVING ILLEGALLY IN
RENTAL HOUSING, MEANING TENANTS
AREN’T DISCLOSING THEIR PETS TO
THEIR LANDLORDS. ANOTHER
IMPORTANT NUMBER, 87% OF PETS
ARE NOT LICENSED. THESE NUMBERS
GOT US WONDERING ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES, AS
VICTOR WILLIAMS HAS BEEN OUT
TALKING WITH EXPERTS AND JOINS
US LIVE WITH MORE. VICTOR
>> YEAH, KIMBERLY, WE’RE TALKING
ABOUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE WHO REALLY HAVE NO IDEA
THEY’RE DOING ANYTHING WRONG.
SOME OF THEM WE SPOKE TO TODAY.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE, BELIEVE IT
OR NOT, IS THAT’S THE TRUTH.
ACCORDING TO A STUDY RECENTLY
PUBLISHED BY AGENT ADVICE DOT
COM, ABOUT 234,000 PETS ARE
ILLEGALLY LIVING IN RENTED HOMES
ACROSS THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
>> THAT MEANS A GOOD AMOUNT OF
LANDLORDS HAVE NO IDEA THAT SOME
OF THESE ANIMALS ARE LIVING ON
THEIR PROPERTY.
>> I THINK THE HONESTY WOULD BE
THE BEST THING OR NOT. HAVE A
DOG THERE AT ALL. BUT AS IT
TURNS OUT, NOT REGISTERING YOUR
DOG OR PET IN GENERAL IS AGAINST
A LAW THAT’S BEEN IN PLACE SINCE
1919.
>> IT CAN ALSO LAND YOU IN SOME
HOT WATER, ACCORDING TO ATTORNEY
TODD RUSSELL PERKINS, FAILURE OR
REFUSAL TO COMPLY RESULTS IN
MISDEMEANOR WITH FINES. BETWEEN
10 AND $100 AND OR MORE, NO MORE
THAN THREE MONTHS IN THE COUNTY
JAIL. THE AMERICAN VETERINARIAN
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION SAYS THAT
ONLY ABOUT 13% OF PETS WERE
LICENSED IN 2018. NATIONWIDE
MEANING THERE ARE LIKELY MORE
MICHIGANDERS BREAKING THE LAW
THAN YOU THINK, INCLUDING
MYSELF, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING
MYSELF, IF IT’S STILL GOOD LAW.
>> BUT IT’S KIND OF LIKE ALMOST
LIKE SPITTING ON A SIDEWALK.
>> I DON’T KNOW IF THEY’VE
REVERSED IT, BUT WHAT EXACTLY
ARE THE BENEFITS OF REGISTERING
YOUR PET? FIRST OFF, IT’S A WAY
FOR THE STATE TO KEEP RECORDS
INTACT, OR THERE’S ACTUALLY A
FORM THAT YOU NEED TO FILL OUT.
>> OTHERWISE WE DON’T KNOW WHERE
WHO THE PET BELONGS TO.
>> ANOTHER REASON IS THAT IT’S
ALSO A WAY FOR YOU TO KEEP TRACK
OF YOUR PET. MOST OF THE TIME
THE REGISTRATION HAPPENS
ALONGSIDE MICROCHIPPING, FOR
BETTER OR WORSE, WHETHER THEY
WANT TO BE REUNITED WITH THEM OR
IF, GOD FORBID, THEY DID BITE
SOMEBODY, THEN THEY WOULD BE
ABLE TO FIND THE OWNER AND FIND
OUT IF THAT PET HAS HAD A RABIES
VACCINE. BUT ATTORNEY PERKINS
BELIEVES THE 1919 LAW SHOULD BE
UPDATED WITH SOME CLARIFICATION
, OFTEN BEING THAT IT WAS PUT IN
PLACE OVER A CENTURY AGO. THERE
NEEDS TO BE MORE INFORMATION TO
THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT TO
DO, HOW TO DO IT. AND ONE THING
TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT EVERY
TIME YOU MOVE OR YOU GET A NEW
PET, YOU NEED TO UPDATE YOUR
PAPERWORK WITH YOUR VET. VICTOR
WILLIAMS LOCAL 4.
>> YEAH, OKAY. VICTOR THANK YOU
. THOSE DOGS ARE THAT DOG PARK.
WERE SO DARN CUTE. I KNOW. IT
LOOKS LIKE THEY’RE JUST LOVING
IT. THE SUNSHINE OUT THERE
TODAY. KIM YEAH, IT’S A GOOD
NIGHT TO TAKE THE DOGS TO THE
DOG PARK.
>> IT’S NOT EVEN MUDDY PAWS
SEASON. IT’S BEEN SO DRY.
TEMPERATURES RIGHT NOW ARE
FALLING JUST A BIT AT 85 DEGREES
THIS HOUR IN PONTIAC. IT WAS 87
LAST HOUR AND DOWN TO 82 NOW IN
MOUNT CLEMENS, STILL WELL ABOVE
NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR,
WHICH IS ONLY 75. BUT WE PAY A
PRICE FOR ALL THIS WARM, HOT
WEATHER. WE’VE GOT UNHEALTHY
LEVELS OF OZONE. SO THERE IS AN
OZONE ACTION DAY TOMORROW. ALSO
AN AIR QUALITY ALERT. IT IS FOR
SENSITIVE PEOPLE, SENIORS,
PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA, AND IT
INCLUDES ALL OF SOUTHEAST LOWER
MICHIGAN. AND YOU’LL PROBABLY
HEAR ME SAY THIS FOR THE NEXT
COUPLE OF DAYS AS I DON’T REALLY
SEE THINGS IMPROVING BECAUSE
TEMPERATURES WILL HEAT RIGHT
BACK UP AGAIN INTO THE UPPER 80S
TO NEAR 90 DEGREES TOMORROW. AND
WE’RE NOT DONE THERE. TAKE A
LOOK AT THE TEMPERATURE TREND.
WE’LL BE WARM FOR THE WEEKEND,
BUT LOOK WHAT HAPPENS TUESDAY
AND WEDNESDAY. WE GET BACK DOWN
CLOSER TO NORMAL AGAIN, WHICH IS
75. SO WE’LL BE IN THE 70S NEXT
WEEK. AND I HAD TO INCLUDE A