I wanted to share to try to remind everyone to be aware of your surroundings, hold on to your children and stay off your phones so you are not distracted!!!
This was at a rest stop around mile marker 151 (Batesville) heading west on I -74.”
Thankfully, Abby was hyper-aware and got herself and her daughter out of that situation safely. Since she posted about her experience at the rest stop in early June, her post has been shared over 83,000 times! Now, is this going to happen to you? Probably not. However, it’s ALWAYS wise to keep your guard up at places like this, especially when there’s no staff or authority nearby to go to for help.
While I don’t know if traditional rest stops are included in this, an article from the Texas Standard says that truck stops are a popular place for sex traffickers to find victims and also find clients who want to use their victims. ALWAYS be very careful when you stop at one of these rest stops, especially if traveling alone or with children.
Like Abby says, be super aware at any rest stop. Don’t be on your phone, have a tight grip on your kids, and get in your car and lock the doors as soon as you can if you suspect anything weird is going on! Stay safe, friends!
