RELATED: If You See This While Driving, Never Turn Around, CDC Says. A missing 16-year-old girl from North Carolina communicated her distress through a hand signal she learned on the social media site TikTok, People reports. The maneuver led to her rescue, according to a press release issued by the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office in Kentucky. Another driver on the road observed the gesture, recognized it as a distress signal, and called 911 to report it.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb RELATED: If You’re Driving Like This, It Could Be an Early Alzheimer’s Sign, Study Says. Per People, the 911 caller said the female passenger “appeared to be in distress” and was making the hand sign meant “to represent violence at home—I need help—domestic violence,” according to the press release. The 911 dispatchers sent Laurel Sheriff’s investigators to look out for the car, a silver-colored Toyota, and the driver continued to tail the vehicle and provide updates to the emergency personnel on the phone. Shutterstock Laurel County Sheriff’s detectives and deputies caught up with the car and conducted a traffic stop. When they pulled over the Toyota, they found a teenager inside; the girl’s parents had reported her missing two days earlier. They then arrested the driver, a 61-year-old man, and discovered he was carrying a phone that held photos that “portrayed a juvenile female in a sexual manner.” According to the sheriff’s department (via People), “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. When the male subject’s relatives realized that the female in his custody was underage and reported missing, the accused left Ohio traveling southbound and the female juvenile then began attempting to get motorists [sic] attention to call 911.” The driver was charged and is being held at Laurel County Correctional Center. RELATED: For more safety advice delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. With domestic violence situations soaring during the pandemic, the Women’s Funding Network launched a campaign in 2020 to help people in need silently call for help—for instance, as a way of quietly communicating the danger on a video call. They called the campaign “Signal for Help,” and used it to raise awareness about the hand gestures. The signal is made by placing one hand up with the palm facing outward. The thumb tucks in underneath the four fingers folded over it. Knowing this simple, silent gesture could save a life one day—perhaps even your own. RELATED: If You Drive One Of These Popular Cars, Get It Inspected Immediately.
