Mother Searches Miami Beach For Missing Teen

POSTED: Tuesday, February 24,

UPDATED: 9:22 am EST February 24,2004

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- A mother trying to find her runaway daughter has come to South Florida to track down her troubled teen.

Tracy Shaffer handed out information fliers on Miami Beach with information about her 15-year old daughter, Cassandra Hannigan (pictured). Hannigan ran away from New York on Jan. 4 and landed in the Miami-Dade County jail on a prostitution charge a few weeks later. She goes by the name Casey and was booked as an adult after lying about her age, according to police.

Just before Shaffer arrived to start her search, Hannigan was bonded out by a man known as Melo, who's believed to be her pimp.

"I know she's going to have a lot of wounds from this. I mean, you know emotional wounds, but I'll be there for her. So will the people that love her a lot," Shaffer said.

Shaffer will continue to hand out fliers on Collins Avenue, which is where Hannigan was arrested. Regulars say they spotted the teen as recently as last week.

Previous Story:

February 20, 2004: Police Believe Vicious Pimp May Have 15-Year-Old Girl

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