Houston girl says family forced her into prostitution

[peejay 327]

Girl says family forced her into prostitution

14-year-old's grandmother and mother arrested

By BRIAN ROGERS

HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Aug. 13, 2010, 12:13AM

A 14-year-old girl suspected of prostitution told police her mother and grandmother, both convicted prostitutes, forced her to sell her body to pay their living expenses, prosecutors said on Thursday.

Alicia Melchor, 33, and Elizabeth Buford, 55, were arrested Tuesday on charges of compelling prostitution after the girl led police to a motel room after they picked her up on Telephone Road, prosecutors said.

The second-degree felony carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, if the two are convicted.

The pair remained in the Harris County Jail on Thursday. The teen was not in custody.

Buford also was charged with possession of a small amount of heroin.

The teen was observed by police attempting to prostitute herself, said Donna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney's office.

"She gave a statement to police that her mother and grandmother required her to prostitute herself to pay for their living expenses," Hawkins said.

The girl's mother and grandmother each have several convictions for prostitution during the past 20 years.

Although familial relations are not uncommon in sex trade accusations, three generations of prostitutes is unusual, said Charlie Vasquez, a Lieutenant in HPD's vice division.

"I've never heard of anything like that," he said. "Generally, prostitution takes place after someone has been alienated from their family."

Vasquez said officers working with HPD's juvenile sex crimes division, not the Houston Police Department's vice squad, made the arrests. Calls to those officers were not returned Thursday.

Other vice officers said online advertisements for "mother and daughter" prostitutes also are not unusual.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7151453.html

[Laveau 67]

This is so horrible. 14 years old...and who knows at what age they started pushing her to do that. I will never understand how humans can do some of the bad things they do to other humans. So, how a mother can do such harm to her own child is beyond me. And somewhere some idiot will tell this girl "but she's still your mother".. pppfffttt

Edited August 13, 2010 by Shal

[Nagishkaw 510]

The second-degree felony carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, if the two are convicted.

Yet that little girl will be scarred for life.

[Ban Hammer 12,830]

and teach....your children well......

[evli1966 88]

This is so horrible. 14 years old...and who knows at what age they started pushing her to do that. I will never understand how humans can do some of the bad things they do to other humans. So, how a mother can do such harm to her own child is beyond me. And somewhere some idiot will tell this girl "but she's still your mother".. pppfffttt

It is disgusting the actions the mother and grandmother took.

Yes it is her mother and she will need to learn to live with that possibly forgiving her but this is the only way this child has a chance to heal and not make the choices her parent taught he to make.

Yet that little girl will be scarred for life.

She will be she IS.

I agree the if convicted the mother and grandmother need to face stiff penalties for the crimes but we need to ensure that no knee jerk law is formed needlessly and will not protect victims in anyway.

and teach....your children well......

Not sur eif it was humor here in this post.

It is true you can tell your children all you want but if you force choices on them good and bad and force them to tak actions good or bad this will teach them directly good or bad choices and actions.

If you do not lead them with your actions and choices they will learn indirectly from you.

[Ban Hammer 12,830]

Not sur eif it was humor here in this post.

It is true you can tell your children all you want but if you force choices on them good and bad and force them to tak actions good or bad this will teach them directly good or bad choices and actions.

If you do not lead them with your actions and choices they will learn indirectly from you.

it's sarcasm. the line is a crosby stills and nash song that came to mind reading the story.

[William33 110]

Alicia Melchor, 33, and Elizabeth Buford, 55 should be executed.

Edited August 13, 2010 by William33

[slim 1,514]

Let's see here....

55 - 20 = 35

33 - 20 = 13

If both of those women have had multiple charges in the last 20 years, that means little Alicia watched mommy prostitute herself from a very young age. I'm guessing Gma Elizabeth established this as a way of life quite a long time ago and most likely, was no stranger to it as a kid herself.

So, why is it any surprise that now, grown up Alicia is pushing this upon her daughter, 13? Isn't this "normal" in their lives?

[PhiLandShiR 18]

This is only a bad thing if you believe that prostitution is a bad thing...

[john & jean 37]

This is only a bad thing if you believe that prostitution is a bad thing...

what a great analogy.... do you have children???

[PhiLandShiR 18]

what a great analogy.... do you have children???

Yes I do but so what??

I do not see a connection. Neither I, nor my wife, are involved in prostitution...

If my daughter follows my chosen career path, she would go into Information Technology and that is just fine with me.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

savages

[Darnell 8,478]

juvenile sex crimes division YAY ! They're gonna slam the mother and grandmother, you betcha !!!

f*cktards, both of them.

[john & jean 37]

juvenile sex crimes division YAY ! They're gonna slam the mother and grandmother, you betcha !!!

f*cktards, both of them.

Texas justice will be hard on them. when they are in TDC, the inmates will probably kill them both

[Darnell 8,478]

if the DA can figure out how to stretch charges to cover 'human trafficking' (sp) then it's gonna be some major federal doodoo for these two. I wish him/her (the DA) well with the case.