Black and Missing but not Forgotten

Missing: Nikki McPhatter

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sat, 16 May 2009 11:42:00 +0000

Police in Charlotte are hoping someone in Columbia has spotted a woman that was reported missing on May 4, 2009.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says Nikki Mcphatter's family and friends have not seen or heard from her since last Monday. Authorities say Nikki works for US Airways as a ticket agent at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport and has missed several shifts at work. Nikki is described as a loyal employee.

Authorities say Nikki is 5"05' tall, weighs 130 pounds and was last seen on Rozummy Drive in Charlotte. Her vehicle, a black 2003 Honda Accord, has also been reported missing. The car has the letters PHATTAH on the NC tag.

If you see Nikki or her black Honda Accord, please call Crimestoppers at 1-704-336-3585.

[Source]

Still Missing: Elissa Martin

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sat, 16 May 2009 04:20:00 +0000

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help to solve a five-year-old cold case.

On May 15, 2004, Elissa McDaniel Martin left her father's home at 2911 Peaceful Way, in Campbellton, to go for a short walk, according to a news release from the Sheriff's Office. Martin did not return and has not been seen since. It has been five years since her disappearance.

"This case is coming up on its fifth year anniversary, however the case is still actively being worked," said Investigator Tim Hinson, in an email to The News Herald. He asked that media outlets release the information again "in an attempt to find closure for the family."

A search for Martin was unsuccessful, and she was entered into the national computer system as a missing person.

At the time of her disappearance Martin was suffering from some psychological issues, the news release said. Martin had lived mostly in the Miami/Dade County area, and had only been in the Jackson County area for a few days before her disappearance. Martin was 34 years old at the time of her disappearance.

Anyone having information in reference to Elissa McDaniel Martin, black female, born Feb. 20, 1970, is asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff's Office 850-482-9624, or Crime Stoppers 850-526-5000, or your nearest law enforcement agency.

[Source]

Missing: Ryan Darkins

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sat, 16 May 2009 04:10:00 +0000

Sitting in her Tampa home, the tears continue to fall behind Robin's glasses as she sits alone on her long leather sofa. She wipes her eyes and says, "He's always here with me."

Robin lives without her son, Ryan Darkins, after he went missing April 5th and one question haunts her - where is Ryan?

"It hurts in general for him to be gone this long. I know my son, any mother that knows their children," Robin sighs.

Sadly, Ryan vanished without a trace in early April and no one has heard from him since.

No clues have been left behind.

Ryan and his best friend, Carl Walters, had planned to spend some time together one Sunday night. Carl showed up at Ryan's home on 22nd Street in Tampa.

That would be the last time Robin would see her son.

Robin wipes away tears as she talks about her son, something she admits she is reluctant to do at times. "As long as I try not to talk much about it, I'm good."

Robin filed a missing persons report, which broke her heart. She had not heard from Ryan in days which, she says, is very unusual. The young Hillsborough Community College student was always by her side and never left without telling her where he was going.

A few days after Ryan went missing, Robin was supposed to have surgery and her son told her he would be there by her side.

He never showed.

"I'm going to hold onto my faith that he's still alive," Robin told us.

Robin says part of her strength comes from Tampa Police Detective Sal Augeri, who is currently searching for Ryan in this case.

Detective Augeri and Robin talk nearly every day. He is a patient and kind, but serious, detective who has dedicated his life to helping families like Ryan's.

Helping Robin, he says, is especially important.

"There's no telling what could have happened. Ryan's mom, she pretty much calls me every day. I feel for her as a parent," Detective Augeri says.

He adds, "[It is] probably the worst nightmare any parent could go through."

A break in the case came a few weeks after Ryan's disappearance, but it wasn't the promising news Robin was hoping for in finding her son.

Ryan's best friend, Carl, was found viciously murdered in an area of Thonotosassa Road in Plant City.

Detectives say the young man was first attacked at a home on East Humphrey Street in Tampa. They describe the crime scene as a "blood bath".

Since Ryan and Carl were last seen together and Carl was now dead, what happened to Ryan? Where was he?

Detective Augeri has his suspicions, but he too refuses to give up hope. However, he says, it's getting harder and harder for Robin. "I think she is expecting the worst, hoping he is somewhere out there."

Soon after Ryan's best friend's death, an arrest was made.

Carl's brother, Derrick Cullins, was arrested for the murder. Cullins was charged with second degree murder. At the time of his arrest, police say Cullins had unexplained cuts on his fingers and a bite mark on his chest, plus blood on his clothing and shoes.

But, did he kill Ryan as well?

That question remains to be answered.

Detectives say that Cullins didn't even talk about Ryan being there that night, despite the fact that the 20-year-old left with his best friend in front of Ryan's mother, as a witness.

The trail has grown cold in this case for now. Detectives are trying to work a few leads, but they need more information.

Ryan's mother is taking to the streets herself, driving up and down Thonotosassa Road, trying to find clues in this case or, sadly, maybe even her son's body.

Detective Augeri says, "She rides around out there in Plant City on those back roads and calls me and tells me she's looking in this and that area. You would like to be able to tell her something."

[Source]

Missing: Cecilia Benious

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Fri, 08 May 2009 04:16:00 +0000

Bossier City Police are on the lookout for a 25-year-old woman, who has been missing for several days.

Cecilia Benious, of Bossier City, was last seen on May 2, after leaving a relative’s home in Bossier City, stated a news release.

She is 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 110 pounds. She has the initials “CR” tattooed on both wrists. She was least seen wearing a white shirt and blue jeans.

Anyone who can provide police with information regarding her whereabouts is asked to call detectives at (318) 741-8626.

[Source]

Missing for 22 years: Bonita Sanders

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Fri, 08 May 2009 03:53:00 +0000

Atlantic City police can finally question the mother of a toddler who has been missing for more than 22 years.

The child's father found her by accident.

Authorities had been looking in vain for Bonita Sanders since February. That's when police got a tip about where the body of the toddler also named Bonita Sanders may have been left in September 1986.

A search of the area did not reveal any evidence.

Authorities also said they wanted to question the child's mother. But she could not be found until Tuesday.

Abdul Salaam spotted her during his regular bike ride around Atlantic City.

She was arrested for contempt of court in unrelated cases. She has not been named a suspect in her daughter's disappearance.

[Source]

New Evidence in Case of N.J. Toddler Missing for 22 Years
It wasn't much as far as slim hopes go, but it was all that relatives of Bonita Sanders had to cling to for more than 22 years.

"I thought maybe she was adopted somewhere, you know, sold on the black market somewhere, and that we may never see her again but at least she'd be all right and happy," said her aunt, Danielle Dabney.

But that hope was dashed earlier this month, family members say, when prosecutors in southern New Jersey told them there is evidence that Bonita was killed and her body might have been buried in a wooded area a few miles from the home where she disappeared on Sept. 14, 1986.

The girl was three days shy of her second birthday and strapped into a stroller on the porch of her home eating an ice pop the last time anyone saw her.

According to news accounts at the time she went missing, the girl's mother, also named Bonita Sanders, told police her other children were playing outside while she made dinner, and that later she noticed the stroller was empty.

Dabney said the family has not heard from Bonita's mother in at least a week and doesn't know where she is. The Atlantic County prosecutor's office and local police departments would not discuss the investigation.

Investigators spent a second day Tuesday digging in a wooded area just off the Atlantic City Expressway in Pleasantville, a blue-collar suburb of Atlantic City. Cadaver-sniffing dogs centered on a specific area of the woods where authorities searched intensively with rakes and leaf blowers before bringing in a back-hoe to dig deeper into the frozen earth.

The search continued through Tuesday afternoon.

"They said they got strong evidence that the little girl is dead and that the person told them where to look," Dabney said.

Madelaine Vitale, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office, would only say "there is an investigation in Pleasantville," declining further comment.

In an interview Monday, the girl's father, Abdul Salaam, also said authorities told him Bonita is dead.

"We have good information now that we know she is dead, and we're just trying to find the body," he told NBC 10 television on Monday. "I just want to know why."

The aunt recalled little Bonita, which means "pretty girl" in Spanish, as an inquisitive, adventurous child.

"She was such a sweetheart," Dabney said. "She couldn't walk or talk yet, but she was real playful. She had those adventurous eyes, always real alert. We were looking forward to her birthday party."

She said the family is devastated at word that little Bonita is probably dead.

"This has been our biggest fear all along," she said. "They just don't know how this tears a person apart.

"We just need justice now," Dabney said. "God has got us, and we'll be all right. God didn't bring us all this way just to let us down."

I can't find much on this little girl, unfortunately this is the first time I'm hearing about her. I did some google searches and most of the articles/blog posts on her are from this year. Where was the coverage on this beautiful little girl 22 years ago?

Found Dead: Sony Georges

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:54:00 +0000

Who was looking for this little boy while he was drowning? Another missing Florida child life lost - and it's sad that I'm just now hearing about this.

11:44 a.m. The Polk County Sheriff's Office just announced that the autopsy on Sony Georges has been completed. "His cause of death is ruled accidental drowning,'' the agency said in a news release.

9:04 a.m. Investigators in Polk County said an autopsy will determine Sony's cause of death.

8:15 a.m. Deputies in Polk County said they found the body of the missing boy on a boat ramp this morning.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office dive team discovered the body at 7:45 a.m. -- approximately 10 feet from the Lake Cannon shore.

A press release shows the body appears to be of Sony Georges who has been missing since Sunday.

7:13 a.m. Authorities in Polk County are searching for a missing 9-year-old boy from Winter Haven.

Officials said Sony Georges told his older brother Sunday afternoon that he was "going to the lake," meaning nearby Lake Cannon, a few blocks away from their home, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Sony's mother was at work at the time, between 4 and 5 p.m., and his older siblings were watching him.

"When Georges' mother arrived home from work around 11:20 p.m. Sunday evening, she immediately began looking for him,'' the statement said. "The family located his bicycle at the lake, but Sony was nowhere to be found."

Sony "is described as a black Haitian male, 4'5" tall, 75 lbs., last seen wearing a black and red matching shirt and shorts set, and black sneakers with blue stripes," the statement said.

[Source]

Missing: Megan Mills

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:43:00 +0000

The Hamilton Police Department is asking the public’s assistance in locating a pregnant 17-year-old Hamilton girl last seen Tuesday, April 28, in the 400 block of Pershing Avenue.

Megan Mills is a black female, with black hair and brown eyes, according to Dave Crawford, Hamilton Police Department spokesman. She is 5-foot-10, weighs 300 pounds and is more than eight months pregnant.

She also suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and is in need of constant medical care due to her physical condition, according to police.

Mills, who is from Cincinnati, was recently relocated to foster care in Hamilton.

On April 28, Megan packed her belongings and left home, Crawford said.

“We believe that she may be heading back to the Winton Terrace area of Cincinnati where she has many friends,” he said.

If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Megan Mills, contact your local law enforcement agency or the Hamilton Police Department at 911.

[Source]

Missing: James Richardson

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 05:50:00 +0000

Police are asking for the public's help in finding a 10-year-old boy who has been missing since Sunday [April 19].

James Richardson was last seen leaving his mother's house in Manhattan at West 134th Street around 5:15 p.m. Sunday. Police say he was walking ten blocks to his sister's house but never arrived.

Richardson was last seen wearing blue jeans, a red-hooded sweat shirt, black leather jacket, black hat, and black shoes.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of this MISSING child is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

[Source]

Missing: Leon Spurlin

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 05:44:00 +0000

Police are asking for the public's help to locate a missing man.

Leon Spurlin, 81, was last seen around 10:30 Saturday morning at his sister's house in the 1400 block of West 26th Street. Spurlin, who has no history of missing before, is on medication, but his sister was unsure exactly what his medical diagnosis is. He lives alone and his apartment has been searched.

Spurlin is described as a 5'9" black male weighing 230 pounds with gray hair and green eyes. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt with a beige jacket and blue jeans. Family members say Spurlin also wears a chain around his neck with his late wife's photo.

His vehicle is described as a blue 1993 Buick Century four-door, with Indiana license plate number 252YCZ.

Anyone with information about Spurlin's location is asked to call 911 to speak with IMPD Dispatch.

[Source]

Missing: Randy Alana Elliot

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 05:40:00 +0000

Fourteen year-old Randy Alana Elliot, of Fareham [Hampshire, England], was reported missing at 11.30pm on Friday night.

She was last seen leaving home at 9.15pm on Friday but has not been seen or heard from since.

Family, friends and police officers have been carrying out air, land and sea searches for the vulnerable youngster, and officers are now very worried for her welfare.

Randy is an asthma sufferer and it is thought she went out without her inhaler.

She is described as black, of slim build, 5 ft 4 ins tall, with shoulder length black curly hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing a grey hooded top with the words 'No Fear' in pink, white and lime green writing on the front, black 'LA Gear' tracksuit bottoms with silver stripes down the legs and black slippers.

Police are also checking CCTV in the Fareham and Portsmouth areas.

Anyone with information, or who has seen Randy, can call Hampshire Constabulary on 101 or 0845 045 45 45, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

[Source]

Special Thanks

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:35:00 +0000

Special Thanks to Blogger for making my blog their Blog of Note for Friday April 24th :) I didn't even realized it until one day I woke up and remembered that I need to keep this blog going despite a big change in my life. Having a baby (my little girl is almost 3 months) made it a little difficult for me to keep it up, but she reminded me that there are little girls (and boys and adults alike)like her that are missing and waiting to return home.

So thanks Blogger! And thanks to you guys that are coming here for the first time. Stay in touch! :)

Missing: Devin Allender

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:18:00 +0000

Police need your help to find a missing Bennettsville teenager.

Officers say 14-year-old, Devin Allender didn't show up for school Wednesday and hasn't been seen since.

Police say his parents reported him missing shortly after he didn't come home.

Officers say they don't think Allender has run away.

If you've seen him, you're asked to call Bennettsville police at (843) 479- 3620 x 101.

[Source]

Missing: Alisha McKinney

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:12:00 +0000

Police issued an alert Friday night to be on the lookout for a 19-year-old woman who earlier this month walked away from an adult foster care home in the 18600-block of Hubbell Street on the city's northwest side.

Alisha McKinney, whom police said has the mental capacity of a 12-year-old, was last seen shortly before noon April 13. She contacted a friend last Sunday, but has not returned.

She is African-American, stands 5-feet, 10-inches tall, weighs 120 pounds and was last seen wearing her hair in long braids.

"The biggest concern is that she has no meds. She takes daily medication and she can end up in a very strong depressive state," said the Rev. Germany Bennett, operator of the group home. "We are worried that anything could happen to her."

Because McKinney is 19, her disappearance doesn't qualify for notice under the Michigan State Police operated Amber Alert system for missing and endangered children. Detroit Police issued the unusual alert Friday night, saying the teen's diminished capacity puts her in danger.

"As a child, she has a history of running away from foster care. She's lived on the streets before, but now she is an adult," Bennett said. "She's not in prison. She has the right to check herself out for walks, and she just didn't come back. This is the first time she's done this as an adult and we are very worried about her."

Anyone who has seen McKinney is asked to call Detroit Police at (313) 596-5600 or contact Bennett at (313) 790-3511.

[Source]

Found Dead: Shylea Myza Thomas

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 04:17:00 +0000

A paraplegic girl whose body was discovered stuffed in a plastic storage box at the Mt. Morris Stor & Lock early Wednesday may have been dead for six weeks before anyone reported her missing.

The aunt who adopted 9-year-old Shylea Myza Thomas was in police custody but had not been charged as Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton awaited results of an autopsy, which was expected to be completed by late Wednesday. The Detroit News does not identify suspects unless they have been arraigned for a crime.

Leyton said he didn't know why authorities weren't contacted when Shylea didn't show up for special education classes through the Genesee Intermediate School District.

Nobody knew about the girl's disappearance until a relative, concerned that the child hadn't been seen for about six weeks, contacted the state Department of Human Services.

Department officials called the Flint Police Department at about 4 p.m. Tuesday, and police launched their investigation.

"Things didn't add up," Detective Sgt. Mitch Brown said. "We started interviewing people, and the investigation led to the recovery of the little girl's body in the storage box."

Leyton said the locker was rented by the aunt at about the same time the girl disappeared. A man identifying himself as the manager at Stor & Lock said the only time he had seen the aunt was on the day she rented the locker.

"We rented the storage locker to her and basically haven't seen her since," said the manager, who gave his first name as Brian but declined to give his last name. "It's a gated facility. You need a code to get in and out."

The locker contained a number of other cardboard cartons, neatly stacked, Leyton said.

"Several were stacked on top of the plastic bin in which the investigators found the little girl stuffed in a garbage bag," Leyton said. "She was in a black winter coat, in a garbage bag, and on top of the garbage bag someone had placed mothballs."

State Department of Human Services officials refused to say Wednesday whether Shylea was adopted through the state foster care system, citing privacy laws. The state's child protection and foster care systems were reformed in recent years following the deaths of several children, including 7-year-old Ricky Holland of Williamston, whose adoptive parents are serving life sentences for his murder.

Investigators are trying to get a picture of the life Shylea lived before she disappeared. They believe she became paralyzed after nearly suffocating in her bassinet when she was 3 weeks old.

Leyton said the parental rights of Shylea's birth mother were terminated and her father was not around. The aunt adopted Shylea along with a sister, who is now 11, and who also lived in the home.

Child protection workers removed the sister and the aunt's four children and two grandchildren from the home and placed them in protective custody after Shylea's body was found, Leyton said.

"She lived in the home with the suspect, a boyfriend, and (seven) children -- one of whom was the 15-year-old daughter of the suspect who had two children of her own," Leyton said. "(The house) was in bad shape. It was filthy."

[Source]

Mother charged in death of quadriplegic girl

Website: FindAdji.com

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 03:45:00 +0000

Adji is still missing! I haven't had time to update much due to my new baby, but it's great to know that someone cares...I leave you with a Youtube on Adji and an excellent website dedicated to finding this beautiful little boy.

www.findadji.com

Please join this website and help them find Adji, currently there are only 49 members - we can do better than that right? Show Adji that we care! :)

Missing: Jelani Brinson

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 03:23:00 +0000

Jelani Brinson, 24, disappeared last Friday after leaving a friend's house in Anoka [Minnesota] around 10 p.m.

Crews have spent all week searching for any sign of the young father.

Friends said his shoe was found near the friend's home located near Highway 10 and St. Francis Boulevard. A friend said Brinson's car was left behind.

Brinson is five-foot nine-inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. When last seen, he was wearing his hair in cornrows and was wearing jeans, a black shirt, and black hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at (763) 576-2800.

[Source]

Missing: Adji Desir

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 22:38:00 +0000

Authorities announced Friday that they are seeking South Floridians' help to find a 6-year-old southwest Florida boy who has disappeared. FBI said that someone in South Florida might have information about Adji Desir, who disappeared from a migrant farm worker village in Immokalee Jan. 10 after he went outside to play.

Adji is Haitian and lived in an area with a large Haitian population, similar to how South Florida has a large number of Haitians.

Hundreds of volunteers have searched for Adji who is developmentally disabled and has the mental capacity of a 2 year old.

A $23,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the Adji's recovery.

Anyone with information about the case can call the Collier County Sheriff's Office at 1-239-793-9300, the Tampa FBI office at 1-866-838-1153 or the Miami FBI office at 305-944-9101.

[Source]

Videos

Search Continues for Adji After Two Weeks

Sgt. Ken Becker of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Crimes Bureau said he is working with four full-time sheriff’s detectives, a criminal research analyst, and an agent from each the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI on the case. Lt. Thomas Smith, who headed up the ground search, is also involved, Becker said.

Investigators have received more than 300 tips since Adji disappeared from outside his grandmother’s home Jan. 10. Even so, authorities still lack a solid lead that indicates if he simply walked off and got lost, or if he was taken against his will. The task force continues to investigate both possibilities.

“There are so many unanswered questions and so many possibilities, we don’t have a clear direction on which we should be following,” Becker said. “So we’re following a number of possibilities.”

Investigators have interviewed and searched the homes of 16 of the more than 20 sex offenders in the Immokalee area, Becker said. The others are either in jail or investigators confirmed they weren’t in the area at the time Adji disappeared, he said.

Officials in Lee and Hendry counties are also checking on nearby sex offenders.

Becker confirmed that for a time the task force was keeping a close eye on one particular resident, whose identity has not been released.

“I think that that’s probably at a point where it doesn’t look like he’s a person of interest,” Becker said. “I wouldn’t say we’ve totally cleared him out, but it doesn’t look like he’s responsible for the disappearance of Adji.”

Becker said the task force has been entering all the information that has been gathered in the last two weeks into a database.

According to Florida Gulf Coast University Professor David Thomas, whose area of expertise includes criminal psychological and victimology, Adji’s disappearance would be taking a heavy toll on his family.

“In regards to the family there is a certain degree of trauma that they will experience,” said Thomas in a written statement. “The psychological symptoms could range from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder to high levels of anxiety along with grief.”

Thomas said the grief and anxiety come from the fact that Adji is missing and there is an uncertainty regarding his well being.

“It is very similar to those who experience the loss of a loved one. The problem here is that it is limbo because there is hope that he’s well and on the other hand there is fear that Adji may be seriously injured, sick, or suffering from exposure,” Thomas said.

“In either case the family’s feelings will vacillate from one extreme to the other. The greater feeling in all of this is that they will be second guessing themselves and possibly blaming themselves for something that they may have had no control over.”

To address some of those issues, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Team Adam has continued to help local authorities and the family, said Maribel Slabaugh, program manager for the Center’s Collier County office.

Named after Adam Walsh, the abducted and murdered son of the center’s co-founders John and Revé Walsh, Team Adam is an on-site response and support system that provides investigative and technical assistance to law enforcement agencies in cases of child abduction and serious child sexual victimization. Its members are retired law-enforcement professionals with years of investigative experience at the federal, state, and local levels.

The other big problem facing authorities is keeping Adji’s disappearance relevant to residents as time goes on, said Slabaugh, adding that keeping the community involved with the case is important to help find the missing boy.

“We don’t want people to forget that we are still looking for the child,” Slabaugh said. “We want to keep the community alert and spread the word.”

In an interview Friday, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children president and CEO Ernie Allen agreed with Slabaugh.

“The hardest part is keeping the case alive,” he said.

Becker said investigators need information from the community to help them find Adji, who has been described as developmentally disabled. Anyone with information is asked to call the Collier County Sheriff’s Office at (239) 774-4434 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477).

There is a $23,500 Crime Stoppers reward and a $10,000 reward from the FBI for information leading to Adji’s return.

“I’m always optimistic,” Becker said.

For more information about the search for Adji Desir, visit the Collier County Sheriff’s Web site at www.colliersheriff.org or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children site www.missingkids.com.

Missing: Aleshea Penn

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 22:08:00 +0000

Aleshea Penn, who is the 14- year old subject of a Mattie's Call (Georgia's emergency missing alerts for missing disabled and elderly persons) Friday evening, has been missing for six days.

Authorities said that she was last seen at noon Monday, January 19th speaking with a male described as 6 feet tall, in his 20s with short dreadlocks, and driving a four-door sedan that may have been silver. They were near Building 9 of the Holland Park apartments, at 1175 Mckendree Church Road, Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Aleshea was last in contact with her biological mother in Ohio on Monday. She told friends her mother was going to pick her up from her grandmother's, who has legal custody of Aleshea.

The case is currently being pursued as an abduction or runaway.

Aleshea is described as 5 foot 3 inches tall, 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black jacket with the word "Polo" written on it and blue jeans. Police estimated that Aleshea has the mental capacity of an 11 year old. Anyone with information was asked to contact the Gwinnett County police at 770-513-5300.

[Source]

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Update and Missing: Danielle Hicks-Best

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:48:00 +0000

Hello again! I am sorry for the delay in posts! I have been out for a while one because of school. I graduated December, had to focus on that! I'm also working hard, trying to get ready for my first child in Feb. So many things has been going on, but I haven't forgotten about the site. I should be getting back in the roll of things soon, but I want to let you guys know that this site is called "Black and Missing but not Forgotten" for a reason...I will NEVER forget those who are missing and will always fight for their right to be found.

For those of you who have sent me emails, I haven't gotten around to answering most of them because I have been so busy, but let me know if you have any stories that you want posted, any questions about the missing, or if you just want to talk. I'll try to get back with you ASAP!

With that said, I'll leave you with an article about Danielle Latasha Hicks-Best who went missing January 3, 2009 and has not been seen since.

Danielle Latasha Hicks-Best was reportedly last seen at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 3, 2009, at her residence located in the 700 block of Fairmont Street Northwest.

Hicks-Best is described as a black female, approximately 5'1" tall and weighing 105 pounds. She has black hair, brown eyes and a medium complexion.

She is said to be in need of medication for her mental well being. There have been several reported sightings of her since her disappearance including the area of Georgia Avenue and Morton Street Northwest and the 600 blocks of Park Road and Morton Street Northwest.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Danielle Latasha Hicks-Best is asked to call police at 202-727-9099.

[Source]

Missing: Basith Salami (Maryland)

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:43:00 +0000

Prince George's County Police are asking for help from the public in locating a missing 9-year-old boy who disappeared on Tuesday afternoon.

Investigators say Basith Akinola Salami got off a school bus in the area of Doubletree Lane and Citrus Lane in Springdale at about 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, but he didn't make it home. They say he has not been seen or heard from since.

Salami is described as a 9-year-old black male with a medium dark complexion who is approximately 4’0” tall and weighs about 65 pounds. He has brown eyes and black hair. He was last seen wearing a light blue shirt, blue pants and a gray pullover jacket, and he was carrying a black backpack with wheels.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Basith Akinola Salami is asked to call the Prince George's County Police Department’s District II Station at (301) 390-2100.

[Source]

2 Bodies Found: Could be 2 of 3 Missing Women who Knew Each Other

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:32:00 +0000

I cannot believe this story, what are the odds of three people who knew each other turning up missing days apart from each other? Where's the outcry on this story? If strange stories make national news, I don't know why this one didn't. This story is very odd!

The bodies found Monday in Florence are those of two black women, Florence County Coroner M.G. “Bubba” Matthews said Tuesday.

It remains unclear, however, whether the bodies are those of two of three women — Joretha Lynn Kirk, Rachel Samuel and Janie Mae Dixon — who have been reported missing in Florence in the past two months.

Autopsy results showed one of the women was stabbed to death about her upper body, Matthews said.

The other woman died of wounds whose nature couldn’t be determined because the decomposition was so severe, he said.

Investigators are treating the deaths as homicides.

Florence police were back Tuesday morning at a kudzu field near the 500 block of Gaillard Street by Jarrott Street where the bodies were found in shallow graves late Monday morning.

Matthews said he believes the remains had been there for several weeks.

The remains were in such a severe state of decomposition, Matthews said, he couldn’t determine their race or gender. An autopsy performed at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston determined that Tuesday.

Investigators are trying to use dental records to identify at least one of the bodies, and are hoping to identify both women as early as Wednesday morning.

Investigators processed the scene Monday with assistance from the State Law Enforcement Division’s forensics agents. A SLED profiler also is assisting in the investigation.

On Tuesday morning, investigators brought cadaver dogs to the scene, but they didn’t find anything more and left by noon.

People living around the area where the bodies were found gathered near the crime scene tape Tuesday morning. Many said they’re shocked and frightened by the discovery.

Andrea Wilder, who lives in the neighborhood, said the situation is depressing.

“… I think it’s very sad because it could’ve been anybody out here, kids or anybody,” she said, “and I think it’s very sad that they had to come out here and find them like this in our neighborhood like this.”

Florence Police Chief Anson Shells said Monday officers received a tip to search the area but did not elaborate.

The area is near where one of three Florence women reported missing in the past two months has an apartment.

Kirk, 42, was reported missing by her sister to Florence police Oct. 14 and hasn’t been seen or heard from since Oct. 9. Kirk, a black woman with black hair and brown eyes, was last seen in Florence wearing peach-colored pants and a shirt with black shoes.

She recently moved into a new Gaillard Street apartment and is employed by Wallace’s Old Fashioned Skins on McCurdy Road.

Kirk’s friend, 51-year-old Samuel of 304 Campbell St., was last seen by her roommate at her home Sept. 18. She is a black woman with brown hair and eyes, standing about 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing about 130 pounds. She was last seen wearing a brown shirt and blue jeans.

Samuel’s sister reported her missing Sept. 29. Her sister and co-workers said she hasn’t come home or gone to work. Police said the last place they know Samuel went was to a dentist appointment in Florence.

On Monday, Florence police said Kirk’s cousin, 35-year-old Dixon, was reported missing by her sister Sept. 8. She was last seen at 134 N. Aiken Drive in Florence. About 5 feet 7 inches tall, she has black hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a brown tank top and blue denim jeans.

Joyce Walling, Dixon’s sister, said the family’s worried.

“It’s been crazy. It’s been scary. Not knowing is the worst part,” Walling said.

Two other people reported missing in Florence in the past three months have been found dead.

The body of 17-year-old Jeremiah Jenkins was discovered Aug. 30 in a vacant building on South Irby and Cedar streets.

Jenkins was reported missing Aug. 6. An autopsy showed he had been stabbed and beaten about the head. Police arrested three suspects in connection with his death in early September.

On Aug. 27, Florence resident Willie Mae Hayes, 69, was found dead on Mallory Street after she was reported missing by her family two days earlier. Four suspects, including two 14-year-old boys, were arrested and charged in connection with Hayes’ death.

Anyone with information on Dixon’s, Samuel’s or Kirk’s whereabouts is asked to call the police department (843) 665-3191 or Crime Stoppers of the Pee Dee at (843) 667-TIPS (8477) or (866) 369-TIPS (8477). Callers need not reveal their identities.

[Source]

Suspect in the murder of Denise Grate Arrested

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:20:00 +0000

Officials with the Richland County Sheriff's Department say Dion Briggs, the suspect in the murder of Denise Grate, has been arrested.

Authorities say Briggs was arrested on Monday at an abandoned home on Holmes Avenue. The home is next door to Briggs' mother's home. They also say Briggs is being charged with Grate's murder.

At a court hearing Monday night, Briggs was charged with murder. Bond was not set at that hearing, but the judge said it would be set at general sessions court in two to three weeks.

Grate was found dead inside a green Mitsubishi at an apartment complex on Fairfield Road. She was reported missing by her mother on Oct. 13 after she didn't return home from a trip to the State Fair with her friends.

Lakeland Fennell knew denise through her stepfather, who works with him.

It's a small connection, but as he watched her story unfold, he realized just how much of an impact she had.

"The amount of people from different areas of Columbia and from different areas of life all were connected by this one person," Fennell said.

Fennell didn't go to Denise's funeral, but he did attend her wake. He says he watched 150 people come and go in a matter of just 20 minutes.

"There was that many people that wanted to show their love and appreciated the life of Denise Grate," Fennell said. "It just goes to show you that everybody's life is something that a lot of people will never be able to understand but at the same time it shows you that everybody's worth knowing because you never know what kind of impact they've had on other people's lives."

Fennell learned that through Denise Grate.

[Source]

Found: Megan Hicks

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:16:00 +0000

After being missing for nearly a week, New Iberia Senior High student Meagan Hicks has returned home.

Before returning home on Saturday Evening, Hicks was last seen leaving the high school campus last Tuesday in a stolen vehicle.

Sunday evening the Ford Explorer Megan stole was located behind the Blockbuster store on Admiral Doyle Drive.

Sheriff's deputies say hicks mother brought her to the Sheriff's Department on Monday evening to turn herself in.

Hicks was arrested and charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

She posted a $2000 bond.

[Source]

Missing: Char'Myria Cain (Louisiana)

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:14:00 +0000

Shreveport police need your help finding a girl who hasn't been seen or heard from for three days. This isn't the first time the child has disappeared. Her family says she has run away from home before, but she's never been gone this long.

Char'myria Cain, 11, left her mother's house on West 73rd Tuesday night. She lives in Bossier City, but was at her mom's house visiting when she took off.

Her family says Cain, who goes by the nickname "Neesha" ran away about four months ago, but was only gone for one night. She told them she stayed in a vacant house. They say even if she did run away again, she's still in danger.

The family says they've checked with all of cain's friends, and nobody's seen or heard from her since Tuesday.

Anyone with information is asked to call Shreveport Police as soon as possible.

[Source]

Missing: Daunna Howard (Louisiana)

noreply@blogger.com (Deidra) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:39:00 +0000

A 15-year-old girl went missing from her Shreveport home in the 400 block of Dixon Avenue Oct. 8 and has not been seen since.

Daunna Dewayne Howard left to board a school bus but never attended any of the day's classes.

The girl, who was classified as a runaway by the Caddo sheriff's office after coming up missing, is described as a black female standing 5 feet, 7 inches and weighing 124 pounds, according to a release. Howard also has brown eyes and dark brown or black hair. Call the Caddo sheriff's office at (318) 681-0700 with information about Howard's whereabouts.

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