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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A woman indicted on more than two dozen charges, accused of soliciting men for sex, allegedly drugging them in robbery attempts, with some of the victims dying, appeared before a judge for the first time Monday.
Rebecca Auborn, 33, is facing four counts of murder, along with involuntary manslaughter, aggravated robbery, felonious assault and other charges. Authorities said her alleged overdose and killing spree went from December 2022 to June 2023. According to court records, Auborn allegedly admitted to dosing men with drugs while engaging in prostitution. She pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The leaders of the anti-human trafficking program at the Salvation Army of Central Ohio said hearing about the case reinforces the danger of human trafficking in the area.
“The biggest myth that we constantly have to combat is that it is kidnapping. And there’s a lot of misconceptions around that, which in itself is dangerous, because then we’re not really looking at the issue where it’s much more complex, it’s relationship-oriented in many ways for sex trafficking,” said Melanie Kenworthy Deis, the anti-human trafficking program coordinator for Salvation Army Central Ohio.
They say it can impact any vulnerable person.
“Vulnerable populations, especially fall victim to this. And so to add to the complexity, you know, Melanie mentioned sex trafficking is one of them. Labor trafficking is another. And again, it’s that relational piece. It’s this transactional problem,” said James Brennan, the area coordinator for Salvation Army Central Ohio.
The Salvation Army of Central Ohio is currently helping more than 100 people in its human trafficking program, which covers 14 central Ohio counties. The program is participant-driven and centered around getting the participants to make decisions, something they may haven’t done for a very long time.
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking and are seeking help, they say the best thing to do is to call the national human trafficking hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
More information about the Salvation Army’s anti-human trafficking program can be found by clicking here.
Auborn will stay behind bars after a judge waived her bond Monday in court.
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