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Ruthey Macenzie Smith has been missing since March 2nd, 2022. The then-19-year-old was last seen in Los Angeles, California. Prior to her disappearance, Ruthey had been seen around Figueroa and 70th Street - an area well known for prostitution. She seemingly vanished from said area and has never been seen or heard from again.
According to family members, Ruthey was a typical kid throughout her early teenage years. She was an ally for the LGBTQ community, and she enjoyed listening to One Direction. Things seemingly changed for Ruthey after she became a mother at the age of 16. Ruthey's aunt stated that Ruthey needed financial help to support her daughter, and a group of new friends introduced her to sex work as a way to make ends meet.
Ruthey initially did not share that she was involved in sex work, but her family had their suspicions. Those suspicions were confirmed on Christmas Day 2021. Ruthey showed up late to her family's Christmas celebration at their home in Long Beach - and reports state that she was "messed up". During that celebration, she admitted to being involved in sex work and she said she wanted to stop.
Ruthey's family subsequently sought help from Gems Uncut - a nonprofit organization that helps victims of sexual exploitation. Ruthey still continued with the sex work, but it was clear she wanted out. In fact, just days before her disappearance, she once again stated that did not want to do it anymore, and she feared that she was going to get abducted.
After Ruthey's loved ones discovered that she was missing, they immediately began to fear that she was trafficked. Unfortunately, Ruthey remains missing today. Authorities in Long Beach are investigating her disappearance. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please contact authorities at 562-435-6711.
-Sources:
Charley Project
KTLA
Long Beach Post
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