Asheville, North Carolina - A teenager abducted in North Carolina has been rescued thanks to a hand symbol that has been popularized on TikTok.

On Tuesday, an unnamed 16-year-old was reported missing by her family in North Carolina.

Two days later, she was found and freed from the grips of an alleged abductor.

Riding as a passenger in an older man's Toyota Camry along Interstate 75 in Kentucky, the teen motioned a distress signal she learned on TikTok to drivers passing by.

The action of folding the thumb in front of the palm, then wrapping fingers around the thumb into a fist has become an indication of domestic violence on video calls.

It is a popular gesture to warn of a dangerous situation in which the victim is unable to speak. Millions of users have made videos explaining the importance of the hand symbol and how to use it.

Another driver noticed the distress signal from the teen, notified authorities of the Toyota's location via 911, and followed the car until it was stopped by police.

The older man has been identified as 61-year-old James Herbert Brick. He was charged with unlawful imprisonment and possession of matter sex performance by a minor, according to the Laurel County Sheriff's Office.

Law enforcement also found a cell phone in Brick’s possession with images that reportedly "portrayed a juvenile female in a sexual manner."

According to investigators, the teenager initially went along with the 61-year-old willingly. They traveled through several states to visit Brick's relatives in Ohio.

When the relatives became alarmed and also reported the girl missing, the two again headed south.

The teen then began attempting to get drivers' attention with the TikTok hand symbol.

The TikTok SOS became increasingly popular during the Covid-19 pandemic as a way for people to indicate they may be in an unsafe situation at home during lockdown.

Brick was taken to the Laurel County correctional center.