Local Woman Helps Daughter Heal, Works To Toughen Sex Trafficking Laws

For terrifying 8 days, Vicki Zito had no idea where her daughter was; if she was dead or alive.
"People are coming to Sacramento for the purpose of having sex with children. Do they know what they're doing? Of course they do," Zito said.

At 17 her daughter was held captive by a human trafficker and sold over Craig's List for sex. The FBI finally found her at a Motel 6 in Fremont.

"In the eyes of the law, justice has been served. In eyes of a mother of a victim..." Zito finishes the thought be shaking her head 'no.'

That's why she's behind a push to make human trafficking a more serious crime. In California right now, the man who kept her daughter captive would only face 4 to 8 years in prison. That would become a possible life sentence. And, under the new law, the money he made would be used to help victims of trafficking.

Because what we all want to hear right now is the happiest possible ending to a horrible story.

"We are doing the best we can. She is doing the best she can to try to recover and move on with this. Is she okay? I wish I could say she's okay. Because emotionally she's not okay. And as her mom, I will never be okay until I can say my child's okay," Zito said.

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