WATCH 'Crime Stories with Nancy Grace' On Merit Street Media! Click Here For Channel Finder

Mom of missing woman says she was snatched by human trafficker
by

The 20-year-old woman was last seen shortly after leaving work

The mother of a 20-year-old Wichita woman who has been missing since January 15 believes she has been abducted by human traffickers.

“I believe she’s been taken, and I believe it’s human trafficking,” Toni Anderson’s mother Liz Anderson told The Wichita Eagle. “They can’t find her. The Kansas City detectives have been amazing, but they’re perplexed.”

Toni Anderson, who had been scheduled to start the spring semester at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, was last seen on January 15. Toni finished her shift at Chrome, a Kansas City strip club, at 4 a.m. on January 15, and was reportedly heading to meet friends downtown. After leaving work, she was pulled over for an improper lane change, and given a warning.

According to the Kansas City Star, the officer who pulled her over saw her drive to a QuickTrip convenience store. That is her last known location.

While Lori Anderson is convinced her daughter was taken by human traffickers, she also reportedly believes the police are not taking that possibility seriously.

But while a Kansas City Police spokesperson Darin Snapp told The Wichita Eagle that while there is so far no evidence of foul play, the police are still actively investigating.

“We investigate all cases as if a crime occurred until proved different, which is why we spend endless hours investigating missing persons cases,” Snapp told the newspaper. “It makes sense to conduct a full investigation now rather than having to backtrack later.

 Snapp also said: “We’ve searched by land, air and water and there are no signs of her vehicle.”
Some familiar with the case are skeptical of the story.
A Facebook page called “Toni Anderson Missing Scam” suggests that Toni may have faked her disappearance, possibly in cooperation with her boyfriend, for financial gain.
A GoFundMe page has raised over $10,000 dollars, but Toni’s mother said the money hasn’t been touched.
“I’ve seen those rumors, and they’re absolutely false,” Liz Anderson said told The Wichita Star. “Toni would never do something like that. For what? She had so much going for her. She was in school, and she had the apartment in Kansas City that she always wanted.”
“It’s been a horrible nightmare,” Anderson said.  “At times, the grace of God is the only thing keeping us together. You just try to not let it totally consume you, but I know we’ll find her.”
The family of a Utah teenager who disappeared last month also said they believed she was taken by a human trafficker. Sarah Dunsey was found in Los Angeles this past weekend after vanishing from a Las Vegas hotel on January 15.

Police in Las Vegas and Utah have since said there is no evidence to suggest Sarah was kidnapped.

Photo: Kansas City Police Department