A teenage girl has been rescued after using a TikTok hand signal to warn a driver close-by that she was in trouble, police have said. Here's an example of one of the hand signals that can be used to silently tell someone you're experiencing violence:
When the motorist realised what the hand signal meant they alerted police who subsequently pulled over and arrested James Brick.
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The 61-year-old was charged with unlawful imprisonment after he was found with the missing teen in the back of his truck in Lauren County, Kentucky.
His phone was located and police also discovered what is claimed to be a juvenile female in a sexual manner. He has also been charged with possession of matter sex performance by a minor over the age of 12 but under the age of 18.
Laurel County Sheriff John Root explained how officers were dispatched to observe a silver Toyota which Brick, from Cherokee, North Carolina, was driving.
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Sheriff Root said: "The complainant was behind the vehicle and noticed a female passenger in the vehicle making hand gestures that are known on the social media platform 'TikTok' to represent violence at home - I need help - domestic violence.
"The complainant advised 911 that the female appeared to be in distress. In addition, the complainant noted that the vehicle was being driven by a male subject."
After the car was stopped and police got involved, Sheriff Root said: "It was learned through investigation that the female passenger was a reported missing juvenile - reported by her parents on Tuesday morning missing from Asheville, North Carolina."
The cop went on to explain: "The female juvenile told Sheriff's investigators that she had gotten with the male subject and traveled through North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and into Ohio where the accused had relatives.
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"When the male subject's relatives realized that the female in his custody was under age and reported missing, the accused left Ohio traveling southbound and the female juvenile then began attempting to get motorists attention to call 911."
Although the department didn't share the specific sign used by the teen, the Canadian Women's Foundation said that the universal sign can be made by facing the palm of one hand forward, with the thumb tucked in and the other fingers closed over it to 'trap' it.
Featured Image Credit: Laurel County Sheriff's Office