Tiktokers Are Dragging Carlee Russell, But Why Aren't They Looking for These Missing Black Women?
The public speculated days before the Hoover Police disclosed Carlee Russell’s “Amber Alert searches” that shorty was lying about her abduction. Regardless if her abduction is a hoax or not, the internet can use the same energy to find these other missing Black women who are barely making headlines.
The Missing White Woman Syndrome: An Empirical Analysis of Race and Gender Disparities in Online News Coverage of Missing Persons study found people made up nearly 40 percent of all missing persons cases. Black women and girls made up 36 percent of all missing females in America, according to the National Crime Information Center via 3WTKR.
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States have since embarked on legislative initiatives specifically targeted at locating missing Black women and solving these cold cases such as Illinois and Wisconsin, per NPR. Minnesota enacted a law creating the first Office of Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls and California proposed a new bill to create an “Ebony Alert” to locate missing Black children, according to ABC7 San Francisco.
Here are some missing Black women and girls to spread the word about on y’alls TikToks:
Janiya Duffie (15)
Duffie, a teen from Spalding County, Ga. allegedly ran away from home and was last seen on the 2100 block on Tranquility Loop, per WJCL. She is 5'7" and about 170 pounds. Duffie is suspected to be in the Lovejoy area and may be wearing blue shorts and a red jacket.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator Eric Michel at 770-467-4282, extension 31580, or efmichel@spaldingcounty.com.
Imani Roberson (30)
The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office issued an alert July 20 for help finding Ms. Roberson. She’s been missing for going on five days and was last seen in a white compact SUV on July 16, per 11Alive News. Her last known location is Plantation Road in Conyers and license plate is CRA7038.
The contact information for Investigator John Fort was given as 770-278-8170 or 404-548-2586, and his email was given as john.fort@rockdalecountyga.gov.
Kiawante Jo Sawyer (age unknown)
Sawyer was last seen wearing purple scrubs, a gray tank top and brown baseball cap on June 28. The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office says she suffers from PSTD.
The contact information for Investigator John Fort was given as 770-278-8170 or 404-548-2586, and his email was given as john.fort@rockdalecountyga.gov.
Amyah Smith (16)
Smith went missing May 22 in Snellville, Ga. She’s described as 5'7" and 135 pounds, per the National Center for Missing and Exploited Kids.
Anyone with information should contact the Gwinnett County Police Department 1-(770)-513-5700.
Precious Branson (17)
Branson was went missing Jan 17 and was last seen in Hemet, Ca. She’s 5'4" in height and 135 pounds, per the National Center for Missing and Exploited Kids.
Anyone with information should contact the Hemet Police Department (California) 1-(951)-765-2400
Cierra Chapman (30/31)
Chapman was last seen early December 27, 2022 at an Autumn Woods Drive apartment in Trotwood, Ohio, per the FBI. She was reported missing two days later but her vehicle was found Jan 6, 2023.
Anyone with information related to the disappearance of Cierra J. Chapman is asked to call the Dayton Police Department at (937) 333-COPS (937-333-2677).
Danielle Lewis (15)
Lewis was last seen April 22 at her home in Minnesota. Her parents told KSTP she’d run away from home before but this is the longest they have gone without hearing from her.
Any information should be given called into 911 or the National Center for Missing Children 1-800-THE-LOST.
The public’s efforts certainly helped bring attention Carlee Russell’s case. If the same efforts applied to these other cases of missing Black women, combined with the government’s resources, maybe more families can be complete again or at least, given closure.
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