'Missing' investigates small town girl's journey from cheerleader to sex-trafficked 'hostage'
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- In the next episode of 'Missing', Eyewitness News investigative reporter Kristin Thorne examines the disappearance of Corinna Paige Slusser, who went from small-town Pennsylvania cheerleader to sex-trafficked "hostage" in New York City, where she vanished almost half a decade ago.
According to police, someone reported seeing Slusser leaving the Haven Motel on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, Queens early one September morning in 2017. She has never been seen again.
This is the story of a heartbroken mother's determined search for her daughter, along the way confronting dangerous pimps, mysterious extortion attempts, and confounding clues on social media in her quest for answers.
Is Slusser still alive, trapped in a sex-trafficking nightmare? Her mother, Sabina Tuorto, hopes this investigation will help her find out what really happened to her daughter.
Below, Kristin Thorne explains in her own words why she launched the new series, "Missing."
It all began on September 13, 2021, the first day I covered the disappearance of Gabby Petito and met with her distraught parents on Long Island. The story consumed the next two months of my life.
Throughout this time, I spoke routinely with Gabby's father, Joseph Petito. Most of what we spoke about, I have never reported, but one thing he made clear to me is that he wanted the media to cover other missing people. He said they deserved attention, too, and he was right.
I started to look at databases of missing people across the Tri-State area and as I scrolled through the hundreds of faces, I thought about not only those people but their families and friends and the ripple effect of pain that is caused when they disappeared.
I thought, "Maybe I can help?"
I started calling private investigators around New York City looking for cases to profile.
We first profiled the story of Leanne Marie Hausberg.
In our second story, we examined the disappearance of Chelsea Michelle Cobo.
In our third story, we are investigating the disappearance of Corinna Paige Slusser, whose episode drops Friday, May 20.
WATCH | Kristin Thorne on process behind investigative series 'Missing'
If you have any information about the whereabouts of Corinna Slusser, contact the FBI at 800-call-fbi, the NYPD at 800-577-tips or Halos Investigations at 803-599-halo. All calls can be kept anonymous.
Our new episode of 'Missing' drops this Friday, May 20. If you want to have a better viewing experience, did you know you can watch 'Missing' on your television set? Just make sure you add the ABC7NY app on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV. To download our app, viewers can search "ABC7 New York" in the app store.
If you want to have a better viewing experience, did you know you can watch 'Missing' on your television set? Just make sure you add the ABC7NY app on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV. To download our app, viewers can search "ABC7 New York" in the app store.
CREDITS:
Kristin Thorne | Writer, Producer, Eyewitness News Investigative Reporter
Emily Sowa | Senior Digital Producer, Videographer, and Editor
Stephen Cioffi Photographer
John Sprei | Photographer
Anthony Saturno | Photographer
Evan Shumrak | Photographer
Fred Mason | Photographer
Rolando Pujol | EP Digital Content, Innovation and Strategy
Jim Gorham | Vice President, Marketing
Kim Dillon | Assistant News Director
Peter Kunz | Assistant News Director
Dana Bussey | Creative Director, Design
Jason Kuffler | Graphic Artist
Joseph Kollar | Graphic Artist
Lesley Pierson | Graphic Artist
Robert Monek | EP Web and OTV Digital Project Manager
Adam Stephan | Managing Editor
Brian McLaughlin | Assignment Editor
Brandon Cook | Media Manager
Brandon Nelson | Creative Director, Brand
Johanna Trupp | Senior Marketing Producer
Toby Hershkowitz | Marketing Producer
Alex George | Digital Intern
Luke Richards | Senior Manager, Content Development
Chad Matthews | President and General Manager
Debra OConnell | President, Networks Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution
SPECIAL THANKS
Townsend Davis
WNEP
Victoria Ahlstrand
Copyright 2022 | WABC-TV
