VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. — Authorities gave an update on the criminal charges against a South Haven man accused of trafficking a 14-year-old girl from Washington.
30-year-old Keith Freerksen is facing nine charges in relation to the missing girl:
- Two counts of human trafficking of a minor for commercial sexual activity
- Two counts of using a computer to commit a crime
- One count of criminal sexual conduct 1st degree
- Three counts of criminal sexual conduct 3rd degree
- One count accosting a child for immoral purposes
Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott and County Prosecutor Susan Zuiderveen gave updates on the case and fielded questions from the media.
Freerksen was arrested by deputies Wednesday night and arraigned Friday at 1 p.m. He is currently being held in Van Buren County Jail. He was denied bond, considered by the court to be a danger to the public and a flight risk.
Abbott said that they identified the suspect's vehicle and waited for it to return to the property before executing the search warrant. When deputies arrested Freerksen, they also found the missing teen on the property.
Authorities said the suspect vehicle traveled from Michigan to Washington, then back to Michigan again. Freerksen is also expected to be charged with crimes in Washington as well.
Deputies also found other individuals on the property at the time of Freerksen's arrest, but there are no additional charges against any other people at this time.
The mother of the missing teen also spoke at the press conference, thanking authorities for the return of her daughter and advocating for more accountability from online social media platforms.
“Fortunately for us, she is coming home safe. The past three weeks have been nothing short of nightmare, and one I hope no other parents have to experience," the mother of the victim said. "This is a call to action: This predator was able to use social media platforms to reach my child from across the country. He was able to use these platforms to groom my child over an extended period of time. How many more children have to be victimized before these social media platforms are held to a higher standard? How many more families have to suffer the way mine has? The lack of accountability not only puts my child at risk for online predation, but leaves all children at the mercy of those who seek them out online. This is a time for change. And I hope that there are more people who are lucky to come home safe, but unfortunately, not everyone has that story.”
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