Someone knows something out there, the more publicity the better! But the reminder to actually do something the better! |
| The parents need to be held accountable |
| I’m glad to see people in here saying how they are trying to help the homeless community. I’m a dcps teacher with a few homeless families and it’s heartbreaking. |
I started doing the same thing, donating directly to the organizations that support families in DC General and I started to help groups advocating for the new family shelters that will replace DC General. All because of Relisha. The poor child had a miserable and frightening life and death. I hope that what we are doing will help to avoid more endings like hers. |
| There is a new podcast from WAMU called Relisha goes missing. I just listened to the first episode. I didn’t follow the case closely when it happened (I was not in DC at the time). This is so tragic. |
It's awful. Her mother is low IQ and mentally impaired. The step father is not much better. The three boys don't live with either of them and the father hasn't tried too hard to get back his two sons. Relisha's father is somewhat older than her mother and he went to jail for beating to death a previous child so he wasn't allowed custody of his son. The mother did not have any additional children which shocks me. She is a janitor and works at Dollar General . She has moved around a lot through cheap and transitional housing. If she were from a wealthier family, she might live in a group home with oversight. She was overwhelmed by caring for 4 kids in a shelter room which would challenge the best of us and she's not the best of us. She needed services growing up and managed care now. I'm not certain she fully understands what she did. If you knew what she regretted a out her actions you'd be surprised. The step father is a fry cook. Don't know what the violent bio dad is doing. I think the mother did get money for Relisha although she claimed the step father received an insurance settlement at the same time. It was disturbing that Relisha was not missed or reported missing not only by the mother but every other adult in her life but I suspect that everyone didn't mind having one fewer child around. Never being found could point to trafficking or she is simply dead. The janitor killed himself but he also killed his long time girlfriend and left her body in a motel. Relisha's remains never being found leaves so much open for speculation depending on how you view it. I hope it's not a case of hidden in plain sight where everyone has overlooked where her remains are. I think about her and I hope she is at peace, not being tortured on this earth. |
Can you link? I didn’t find with a Google search. Thanks! |
Its official name is Through the Cracks: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/959614430/through-the-cracks |
https://wamu.org/story/21/01/28/listen-to-the-first-episode-of-through-the-cracks-relisha-goes-missing/ Not the PP, but I googled WAMU and Relisha goes missing. It was the first result. |
Honestly, every time I'm near Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens or any green space in that vicinity, I wonder if she's nearby. It's unnerving. I remember our neighborhood park also being briefly cordoned off, allegedly to search for her, nearer the time she went missing. |
I looked for the podcast and could not find it! Ugh. |
Thanks! Must have been an issue with mobile? |
The podcast is called Through the Cracks. I have always thought people know more about what happened to her than they are admitting. Especially her Mom. All the lies that were told while she was missing show a real disregard to her daughter's whereabouts and well-being. I'm interested in how the podcast will frame it. It seems like the podcast is trying to blame the city and the system. |
| Agree with the PP that I always think of her while near Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. The guy who abducted her bought tape, trash bags, and lime. Then he killed his wife and himself. I think her remains were dumped in/near the gardens. |
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I don't think the mom has a high enough IQ and emotional intelligence to be caring for children without intensive support. Without hearing the podcast and I will definitely listen, I think she and then obviously Relisha did fall through the cracks.
She seems emotionally stunted with a dead cold streak but the step father did nothing to prevent what happened. System wise the DC General shelter didn't keep track of the residents nor their own employee who took Relisha so easily. That shelter cost the tax payers quite a bit for the shoddy service and conditions. That's after years of the usual system failures of poor education and not enough effective interventions. |