Governor Greg Abbott this evening ordered an immediate investigation by the Texas Rangers into reports of child sex trafficking at The Refuge, a shelter in Bastrop contracted by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The Governor also directed the Texas Rangers to arrest and pursue all appropriate criminal charges against anyone who perpetrated this abuse. Governor Abbott's order follows reports that certain employees of the shelter were trafficking female foster children who were already victims of sex trafficking.
"The reports of child sex trafficking at The Refuge in Bastrop are abhorrent," said Governor Abbott. "Child abuse of any kind won’t be tolerated in the state of Texas, and we are committed to ensuring these despicable perpetrators are brought to justice and punished to the fullest extent of the law. No child should ever suffer the atrocities of trafficking. I expect a thorough and prompt investigation by the Texas Rangers into these horrific crimes."
The Refuge Ranch opened in August 2018 on 50 acres in Bastrop County. It’s the largest long-term, live-in rehabilitation community for child survivors of sex trafficking in the country, and is designed to house girls ages 11 to 19.