INKSTER, Mich. (WXYZ) — A woman that has been missing since 2017 was found in a motel in Inkster Monday. Michigan State Police say the woman made the call to family herself, saying she was being held against her will. It's the first time her family had heard from her in years.
To ensure the woman's safety, MSP is not identifying her, but told 7 Action News that the woman was in her 20s when she walked away from family in 2017 and never returned. She is now in her 30s.
On Monday, the victim’s stepmother received a call. The stepmother in turn called police and notified them the woman had told her she was being held against her will. Michigan State Police quickly approached the Evergreen Motel on Michigan Avenue.
“They described it as like a crying, kind of screaming type of noise that lured them to that specific area," Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw said.
The woman was physically unharmed, but the room contained drugs and a gun. She was alone when MSP arrived.
“She was pretty distraught," Shaw said.
The missing woman was reunited with family and is currently receiving mental health help. MSP will continue investigating what exactly led her away from family in 2017 and what finally led her to call for help.
"We’ll kind of look at what’s next, right... interview her if a crime did take place such as human trafficking or is it a domestic violence situation or is it different," Shaw said. “I don’t want to use the word kidnapping like somebody grabbed her and took her to that place. It may have started out as a relationship that turns into being held against your will and being trafficked.”
MSP has one suspect they’re looking into but have no one in custody. The surrounding community is just happy the woman is safe.
"Finding a woman after seven years or 6 years or whatever, that’s incredible," Moe Jag said.
Jag owns Big Jag Auto Service directly across the street from Evergreen Motel.
“You know I never had any issue or never heard anything happen there," he said about the motel.
MSP is continuing to investigate the incident and if any other victims may be involved.
