Two individuals are facing charges after law enforcement discovered that there were underage individuals present in the rear of a U-Haul box truck on I-44 in Webster County, Missouri, over the weekend.
Troopers pulled over a U-Haul box truck for a moving violation on Sunday at approximately 4:30 p.m. The incident occurred while the truck was traveling east on I-44 near Marshfield. During the stop, troopers made a startling discovery – there were seven minors, aged 2 to 13, in the cargo area of the U-Haul.
Court records indicate that Shaikiem Bristol, aged 31, and Musa Omar, aged 22, are facing charges of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, creating substantial risk.
According to court documents, the Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper engaged in a conversation with Shaikiem after stopping the U-Haul. During the interaction, Shaikiem disclosed that they were en route to Buffalo, New York, following the pickup of a girl who was facing eviction by her mother in Glendale, Arizona. It was revealed that one of the adults in the group hailed from Glendale, while the others originated from Buffalo.
Shaikiem’s breathing caught the trooper’s attention as he answered, his breaths coming in short and rapid. According to Shaikiem, his friend Omar had rented the U-Haul, and they had departed from New York on the 24th, embarking on a journey to Arizona.
The trooper observed two women sitting in the passenger seat. Shaikiem claimed that they were his sister and fiancée. When questioned, the women explained that they had traveled to Arizona to visit family and collect some belongings. The trooper also noticed that their breathing was shallow and fast-paced.
The trooper became suspicious after hearing conflicting stories about the trip and suspected that they might be engaged in criminal activity, as stated in court documents. He requested permission from Shaikiem to search the U-Haul box truck, which was granted. However, Shaikiem mentioned that the back of the truck contained beds, clothing, as well as five adults and seven children.
The trooper requested backup at this stage and promptly arrested Shaikiem and the two women upon their arrival. The authorities conducted a thorough search of the women but did not find anything illegal.
The authorities transported the U-Haul to the Webster County Jail for a more thorough investigation and to ensure the safety of individuals by preventing them from running out into traffic on I-44.
Shaikiem informed authorities that they made it a point to take breaks every hour and a half to two hours during the journey to prevent themselves from getting overheated. According to Shaikiem’s statement to investigators, both he and Omar were the sole drivers responsible for operating the vehicle.
During their journey, the two individuals took turns, and Shaikiem pointed out to investigators that he observed the back of the U-Haul becoming increasingly warm.
Investigators from ICE, DHS, and DFS also responded to the situation.
Currently, the individuals facing charges for this incident are Shaikiem and Omar.
Shaikiem and Omar are currently in custody without bond at the Webster County Jail. They are expected to make a court appearance on October 1.
