Woman Rescued In Richmond After Being Held As Sex Slave In Closet For Year
RICHMOND (CBS SF) -- A woman was forced to live in a closet at a home in Richmond's Iron Triangle neighborhood for a year while she was sexually and physically abused on a daily basis, police said.
Neighbors said they watched as police raided the house on Chanslor two days ago. Richmond police, along with agents from the Department of Homeland Security say they rescued a woman who was a victim of international human trafficking.
UPDATE: Richmond Man Arrested For Allegedly Holding Nicaraguan Woman Captive In Closet
The 35-year old man is accused of meeting the woman on Facebook, and luring her here from her home in Nicaragua with promises of work and a better life in the United States.
She told an agent with DHS that she was being forced to live in a closet and was being held against her will, police said.
The agent contacted Richmond police detectives working out of the recently opened West Contra Costa Family Justice Center, while advocates from the organization STAND! For Families Free of Violence contacted Richmond police detectives as well, police said.
Detectives learned the woman was being sexually assaulted and physically abused on a daily basis, according to police.
She met her future captors on Facebook a year ago and said the abuse began once she arrived at her new home, police said.
Detectives were able to contact the woman through a cellphone and with the assistance of Homeland Security agents. Police said they able to swarm the home where the woman was held and found her inside, albeit a bit frightened.
Police said evidence at the residence corroborated the woman's account, but neighbor Jenny Redondo-Corona doesn't believe the woman was being held against her will.
"She was at home all by herself to leave. She could leave if she wanted to leave. He'd go to work every day at 6 am. She's there all day by herself. vacuuming, cleaning, walk to the store. ," Redondo-Corona said.
Further details about the incident will be released at a later date, police said.
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