Teen survivor of sex trafficking reunites with OKC police officers

Natalee Cramer was 15 when she was kidnapped from a Dallas Mavericks game and later sex trafficked in Oklahoma City. The 10 days of abuse she endured, and is healing from, brought her back to Oklahoma for the first time since she was rescued to thank her heroes.

Monday, February 17th 2025, 10:40 pm

By: Matt McCabe

OKLAHOMA CITY -

In April of 2022, then-15-year-old Natalee Cramer went to a Dallas Mavericks game with her dad. She left to go to the bathroom, but was later lured away, kidnapped, and taken to Oklahoma City.

She was introduced into a sex trafficking ring, with ads 'selling her' posted online. For 10 days, she was sexually assaulted and abused.

During that time, Oklahoma City Police knew she was in the city based on the online ads, and began searching for her.

"I don't have a bat signal, but we kind of put up the VICE bat signal to let everybody know it was time for us to go to work and do what we do," said Capt. Ben Weir, who supervised the unit when the incident happened.

On Monday, Cramer, who is now 18, returned to Oklahoma City for the first time since being rescued. She made the journey to thank her rescuers in person.

"It brings strength to me seeing the people that had the strength to come and get me when I had zero strength," Cramer said. "It just means so much to see the people that were there for me when I couldn't be there for myself."

She shared her gratitude with Weir and 4 other Oklahoma City officers, who are currently undercover working other trafficking or prostitution cases.

But, those officers remarked on how amazing it was to be able to see someone they rescued thriving and achieving in life.

"It's very surprising to see where I'm at because like a year ago, I would never thought I would be here," Cramer said.

Cramer founded a non-profit with her family called Aisling. Its goal is to help other survivors of trafficking and their families heal from their trauma, and have the resources to continue their lives.

"People should hear my story, people should learn about it," Cramer said.

She gifted each of the officers a bracelet, inscribed with a biblical quote, "you who dwell in the shadow of most high will rest in the shadow of the almighty."

Her family called the gifts 'protection' for the protectors who brought their daughter back into their arms.