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Sex trafficking survivor reunites with Oklahoma City officers who rescued her from captors

“It brings strength to me seeing the people that had the strength to come and get me when I had zero strength,” Natalee Cramer said

OKLAHOMA CITY —A young woman who was kidnapped and trafficked in 2022 returned to Oklahoma City to thank the police officers who rescued her, 9News.com reported.

Natalee Cramer, now 18, was 15 when she was abducted after leaving a Dallas Mavericks game to use the restroom, according to the report. She was taken to Oklahoma City, where she was trafficked for 10 days before being found. Police identified her location through online ads and launched an operation to rescue her.

“I don’t have a bat signal, but we kind of put up the VICE bat signal to let everybody know it was time for us to go to work and do what we do,” said Captain Ben Weir, who supervised the Oklahoma City Police VICE unit at the time.

Cramer met with Weir and four officers who are currently working undercover on similar cases. She expressed gratitude for their efforts, saying their strength gave her hope during a time when she had none.

“It brings strength to me seeing the people that had the strength to come and get me when I had zero strength,” Cramer said.

The officers, in turn, said it was rare to see survivors return and thriving, according to the report.
Cramer and her family have since founded Aisling, a nonprofit dedicated to helping trafficking survivors and their families heal. She believes sharing her story can raise awareness about trafficking.

She gifted each officer a bracelet inscribed with a biblical quote, which her family described as “protection for the protectors” who brought her home.

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Joanna Putman is an Associate Editor and newswriter at Police1, where she has been covering law enforcement topics since August 2023. Based in Orlando, Florida, she holds a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent two years working in nonprofit local newsrooms, gaining experience in community-focused reporting. Married to a law enforcement officer, she works hard to highlight the challenges and triumphs of those who serve and protect. Have a news tip? Email her at news@lexipol.com