Illinois Teen Held Captive for Three Years, Forced to Have Child?
A 19 year-old girl has accused a 25 year-old man of keeping her captive against her will for over three years and forcing her to have his child.
The 19 year-old girl, who has not been named, escaped the Illinois home in Washington Park after allegedly receiving help from a relative. Two children were also removed from the home, one of which belongs to the 19 year old girl.
The man, Steven Elliot Johnson, was arrested and charged with a total of five crimes although it is uncertain if any of those charges pertain to the girl. The charges included a felony count of promotion of prostitution, two felony drug charges and a felony gun charge. The suspect's mother, 54 year-old Owida Johnson, was also arrested and charged with two misdemeanor counts of child endangerment.
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The 19 year-old accused the mother of falsifying documents when the child was born, according to the Washington Times. It has not been confirmed who the second child belongs to.
"The investigation is ongoing," St. Clair County State's Attorney Brendan Kelly told The Associated Press. "We consider everything as it related to the credibility (of) the witnesses … in deciding whether to issue charges."
The teen told police that she visited the man's house after being introduced to him through a social acquaintance. After she arrived at the house, she alleges that she was not permitted to leave.
Eric Johnson, the suspect's brother, has suggested that the teen is lying saying that she left the house often to see a pediatrician and go to the food store. Johnson also stated that his brother had unsuccessfully thrown the teen out of the home on a number of occasions.
"She always came back," Jonson told the News-Democrat adding that he had even offered to take the teen to a shelter following one of the couple's "numerous" fights.
