‘It’s pretty rare that these cases are found’: Human trafficking survivor advocates weigh in after 4 children saved in Smithville

WKRN

‘It’s pretty rare that these cases are found’: Human trafficking survivor advocates weigh in after 4 children saved in Smithville

Lexi Wilson

Fri, December 19, 2025 at 12:47 AM UTC

2 min read

‘It’s pretty rare that these cases are found’: Human trafficking survivor advocates weigh in after 4 children saved in Smithville

SMITHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Four children were saved from human trafficking in Smithville, and several people were arrested.

This happened after investigators say the children were brought across the border to Tennessee and forced to work at a restaurant.

“There’s all kinds of dangers that lurk in labor trafficking,” The Child Labor Coalition Director Reid Maki said.

At Chabelita’s Restaurant and Market in Smithville, a sign on the door read, “Closed for maintenance” on Thursday. But behind the walls is where the child labor unfolded, according to police.

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“It’s pretty rare that these cases are found,” Maki said.

After a three-month investigation, four children were rescued: three boys and one girl. Police said they were forced into labor at the restaurant after being smuggled across the border. Investigators believe Mexican drug cartel smugglers brought the children to Arizona and then to Smithville.

“They’re trying to avoid the authorities,” Maki said. “They’re trying to live a quiet life and not be noticed, so it’s really hard to detect when a child might be vulnerable to this kind of human trafficking.”

This kind of human trafficking, now coming to light after the girl ran away from the restaurant and went to police to report she was a victim of human trafficking and child labor.

Experts said this kind of trafficking happens more often than we think.

“These kids were trafficked into a restaurant situation,” Maki said. “That’s probably the second most common place for kids to be labor trafficked. There are a lot of restaurants in the U.S., and a lot of teenagers already work in those restaurants, so if you’re trafficking a young person into a restaurant, they’re not very likely to be noticed.”

It’s a problem that Nashville nonprofit, Rescue 1 Global, is trying to combat. They help house people who have been trafficked.

The founder, Lacy Tolar, said victims of trafficking usually face poverty and a lack of education.

“They have been brought here, most of the time, under some false pretense,” Tolar said.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the majority of potential victims trafficked were between the ages of 13 and 17 in 2024. Middle Tennessee generated the most tips and calls.

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“There’s more law enforcement that are looking and working these cases, and the numbers are increasing because there’s more identification,” Tolar said.

Experts said there’s still more work to do to prevent this crime.

“We want kids to succeed, go to school, be educated and have a productive life ahead of them,” Maki said.

Police said the girl was living with adults while the boys were found living alone at a separate house. All four children were turned over to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.

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