Friday marked the 22nd birthday of a missing young woman, and her mother can only wish for her safe return.
ABC 7 reported that in March 2022, Ruthey Smith, then 19 years old, went missing from Long Beach, California.
A plea for information regarding a missing woman, possibly a victim of sex trafficking, is now displayed on a billboard at the intersection of Spring Street and Orange Avenue. The billboard was put up by Ruthey’s family and the City of Long Beach to mark 1,000 days since she went missing.
Ruthey’s mother, Kathryn Renesto, stated, “Someone out there knows something. We are determined to bring her back to her daughter, Ocean. Ocean deserves to have her mother back. Ruthey deserves a chance at life. Only a small percentage of these victims return unharmed. I am hopeful that my daughter can be part of that fortunate group. So, I urge the public: if you notice anything suspicious, please report it.”
Ruthey has tattoos with the names Ezra and Lamarion near her ear, and the name Ocean with a wave design on her chest. She also has piercings on her nose and belly button. At the time of her disappearance, she stood at 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed around 152 pounds. Ruthey has brown hair and brown eyes.
Ruthey’s last known location was in Wrightwood, in the San Bernardino Mountains, on March 3, 2022. According to CBS News, this area is part of the Figueroa Corridor, which is known for prostitution and human trafficking.
“We can confirm that Ruthey Smith remains missing and is believed to be a victim of human trafficking,” said Long Beach Police Department officials in a statement to KCAL News. “She was last seen on March 2, 2022, near the area of Figueroa and 70th in Los Angeles. Our detectives are actively pursuing all leads in this investigation.”
Renesto explained that her daughter was trying to support her one-year-old child and was working as a prostitute at the time of her disappearance. “She told me she was at her breaking point, scared, and didn’t want to do it anymore but was afraid to leave,” Renesto said. “These women deserve to matter, just like my daughter, all of them.”
The City of Long Beach, in collaboration with Clear Channel, which owns the billboard space, placed the billboard at no cost to the family.
Anyone with information about Ruthey’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Long Beach Police Department at 562-570-7246.
[Feature Photo via City of Long Beach]
