Police: 2 arrested in death of 14-year-old girl who was drugged, sold for sex

ORLANDO, Fla. — A 14-year-old girl was sold for sex and fed a dangerous mix of drugs, and investigators said four people are responsible for her death.

Two men were arrested and charged with human trafficking and the first-degree murder in the death a 14-year-old Central Florida girl.

“Everyone involved, regardless of their level of participation, will be charged and is responsible for her death,” said Orlando police Chief John Mina.

Avorice Holman, 19, was arrested Tuesday but his co-defendant, Jose Ignacio Santiago-Sotomayor, 22, was already behind bars on gun and theft charges, officials said.

Two others, Karla Alsina and accused kingpin Arthur Coleman, remain at large, police said.

The case came to light in mid-August, when police responded to an area hospital to investigate the suspicious death of the girl, the Orlando Police Department said.

The death sparked a much larger human trafficking investigation that led to the indictments of Holman, Santiago-Sotomayor, Coleman and Alsina.

Police said the group drugged and sold the 14-year-old and her 15-year-old sister for eight days before the younger one died of an overdose.

“They gave the drugs to the girls in order for them to forget about having sex with men,” said Detective Michael Fields.

The two-month investigation revealed that a mutual friend introduced the girls to Santiago-Sotomayor with the promise of a lot of money.

“If not for him, then this whole thing wouldn't have happened,” said Fields.

The girls’ single mother told police she had no idea the group had sold her daughters online for eight days.

“The children told the mother they were at a friend's house,” said Fields.

Once in the sex trade, detectives said the girls were forced to continue.

“They were shown guns, firearms and told that bad things would happen to them if they were to tell against them,” Fields said.

Holman and Santiago-Sotomayor were being held without bail at the Orange County Jail on charges of first-degree murder, human trafficking, two counts of procuring another for prostitution, aiding and abetting prostitution, racketeering, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, possession of child pornography and transmission of child pornography.

Cox Media Group