ST. LOUIS, MO – A quick-thinking hotel staff’s unusual phone call to the police led to the rescue of two women who were held captive in their rooms. The victims, aged 21 and 36, managed to seek help from the hotel employees during a brief moment of absence of their alleged captors last weekend.
The women’s ordeal began with a supposed moving job in Florida, which turned into a horrifying 10-day journey. The trio of suspects allegedly transported them to Atlanta, and subsequently to St. Louis. The victims were left in fear, uncertain of what would follow next.
According to Sgt. Charles Wall, a spokesperson for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the women were informed that they were not free to leave only after reaching Atlanta, Georgia. The police did not disclose how long the victims were kept at the downtown Hampton Inn hotel in St. Louis.
One of the suspects, Nikki Rebarcak, 41, was arrested following a tip-off from the hotel staff. She was charged with two counts of kidnapping and was later released on her own recognizance. However, at least two other male suspects are still at large.
The incident has sparked concerns about a possible human trafficking network. St. Louis law enforcement is collaborating with federal authorities and prosecutors to determine if this case is an isolated event or part of a larger criminal network. The police have identified one of Rebarcak’s alleged accomplices and are actively searching for him.
The hotel’s management has not responded to requests for comment. The specifics of how the women were held captive have not been disclosed by the authorities.