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Two women were arrested in Nashville Thursday for allegedly trafficking a teenage girl for sex.
According to Metro police, the victim, a 16-year-old runaway from Birmingham, Ala., called a relative who then called 911.
According to an affidavit, Elizabeth Thomas and Megan Williams, both 24, placed ads on the website Backpage.com referencing the juvenile for sex.
They then transported the girl across state lines into Tennessee and took the money the teen received for the sex acts, the report stated.
Thomas and Williams are each charged with trafficking a minor for a commercial sex act. The women were booked into the Metro jail on $200,000 bond each.
"When a person happens to be a runaway that could exponentially increase the likelihood that they might fall victim to a human trafficker," said Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman Josh DeVine.
DeVine told News 2 the TBI wants to raise bring awareness about human trafficking, so recently launched the"It has to Stop" campaign.
It features a website for people to join non-profits and other groups to stop trafficking in the state.
"We're hoping that it becomes a resource for the state of Tennessee to not only learn about the issues of human trafficking, but also and perhaps more importantly what they can do about it," said DeVine.
A spokesperson with Tennessee Department of Children's Services said the teen is being held at the Juvenile Justice Center in Nashville.
DCS is working to return the girl to her home state of Alabama.
Police said the women and girl were staying at the Comfort Inn off White Bridge Road in west Nashville at the time of their arrests.
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