Sheriff: 16-year-old girl rescued in Kentucky after using hand gestures from TikTok

LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT/Gray News) - Laurel County Sheriff John Root announced the rescue of a missing juvenile from North Carolina.

The 16-year-old girl was in a silver colored Toyota going through a construction area north of London, Kentucky, WYMT reported. The person that called 911 said they saw the girl making hand gestures made popular on TikTok.

The hand gestures signal violence at home, “I need help” or domestic violence. Officials did not specify what the girl’s hand signals were, but the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s website shows a signal for help as a hand up, palm out, with the thumb tucked then folding the fingers down.

The person that called stayed with the vehicle and gave updates to responders.

Sheriff’s investigators said when they stopped the vehicle, they identified the girl as a missing juvenile reported missing on Tuesday morning in Ashville, North Carolina.

The suspect, 61-year-old James Herbert Brick, was arrested and charged with unlawful imprisonment and possession of a matter of sex performance by a minor over 12 but under 18.

He was taken to Laurel County Correctional Center.