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Jelani Day : Family Pleads For Public’s Help In Finding Missing Illinois Graduate Student

It has been nearly a month since Jelani Day, an aspiring doctor, disappeared. His family is pleading for the public’s help in search efforts.

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Jelani Day : Family Pleads For Public's Help In Finding Missing Illinois Graduate Student

It has been nearly a month since Jelani Day, an aspiring doctor, disappeared.

His family is now pleading for answers and asking for the public’s help.

Jelani Day was last seen August 24th

Jelani Day, a graduate student at Illinois State University, was last seen on Aug. 24. His family reported the 25-year-old missing the following day, after they made many attempts to reach him, but were unsuccessful. Day had also not shown up to class for several days, prompting concern among faculty members at ISU, according to the report.

jelani day

Bloomington Police Department

People reports:

On Tuesday, Aug. 24, Day was seen on surveillance footage entering a store called Beyond/Hello in Bloomington at around 9:12 a.m. In images obtained by police and shared in the report, Day is seen wearing a blue Detroit Lions baseball hat, a black graphic T-shirt, white shorts and black shoes.

While Day’s whereabouts are unknown, police believe they have located his vehicle.

On Aug. 26, officers with the Peru Police Department responded to a report of a vehicle in a wooded area south of the Illinois Valley YMCA. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered a white 2010 Chrysler 300, concealed by trees.

After inspecting the vehicle, officials say they found the articles of clothing Day was wearing when he was last seen on Aug. 24. Police, along with the help of K-9 officials, searched the area, but there was no sign of the graduate student, who is also a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

“Upon a search of law enforcement computerized files, it was determined the vehicle was a vehicle of interest in a missing person case out of Bloomington, Illinois. The vehicle was one belonging to Mr. Jelani J. Day, age 25 of Bloomington, Illinois,” police state in the missing person report.

Family Pleads For Help

Jelani Day : Family Pleads For Public's Help In Finding Missing Illinois Graduate Student

As authorities work to find Jelani, his family is asking for the public’s help in finding their loved one.

“This is my little brother,” Day’s brother Seve Day wrote alongside a copy of the missing persons report on Twitter. “He’s been missing for 3 weeks as of today now. Please help me and my family find him, one retweet can make a huge difference. I love him so much #FindJelaniDay I’m never giving up.”

Day’s mother, Carmen Bolden Day, has also spoken out, telling Newsy, “We don’t have a lot of information.”

” I don’t feel like I’m getting the help that I need,” said Carmen. “I’m imploring, pleading, and asking that the police still pay attention and look for my son.” In addition, Carmen is frustrated that her son, who is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., isn’t getting coverage compared to Gabby Petito.

“Jelani hadn’t been getting the coverage. Jelani has been missing for 24 days, and as I said, it seems like the effort to find him has slacked down. I know about Gabby, the missing girl, and she’s been missing for two days, and her face is plastered everywhere, and the FBI is involved, and I do not understand why Jelani doesn’t get that same coverage.”

The Day family is offering a $25,000 reward for information that can help their case and has also asked the public to reach out to their private investigator with tips. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Day family, and we wish Jelani a safe return.

Carmen said during her last conversation with Day, he told her he was going to class and that he’d call her later. “He said ‘Okay mama, I just wanted to hear your voice.’ And that was our last conversation on Aug. 23.”

Jelani Day’s fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., has also got involved in the search efforts.


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Unheard Voices is an award-winning news magazine that started in 2004 as a local Black newsletter in the Asbury Park, Neptune, and Long Branch, NJ areas to now broaden into a recognized Black online media outlet. They are the recipient of the NAACP Unsung Hero Award and CV Magazine's Innovator Award for Best Social Justice Communications Company.

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Black And Missing

Marine from Massachusetts goes missing off coast in Puerto Rico

A family is holding out hope after U.S. Marine Samuel Muturi Wanjiru went missing on March 27 off the coast in Puerto Rico.

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Samuel Muturi Wanjiru missing
Natasha Castillo-Vargas and Corporal Samuel Muturi Wanjiru (Photo Source: GoFundMe)

A family is holding out hope after U.S. Marine Samuel Muturi Wanjiru went missing on March 27 off the coast in Puerto Rico.

Missing details for Marine Samuel Muturi Wanjiru

Corporal Samuel Wanjiru, 26, of Worcester, Mass., was swept away by ocean currents while being in the water at La Pared beach in Luquillo.

The Coast Guard launched helicopters and aircraft to look for Wanjiru, but those search efforts were unsuccessful. The active search was called off on April 1.

At the time of his disappearance, Wanjiru was vacationing with his partner of five years, Natasha Castillo-Vargas.

Castillo-Vargas, her father, and Wanjiru’s mother are still in Puerto Rico, returning to the beach daily where Wanjiru went missing, continuing to look for him.

GoFundMe

She has since started a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with expenses and search efforts while they remain in Puerto Rico.

“Samuel’s mother and I are trying to get as much resources and help as we can because we will not give up hope in finding our Samuel. Please, anything anyone can help with would be most appreciated.”

In addition to donations, the family asks the public for prayers and love during this “devastating and heart aching time.”

“We are firm believers in God as Samuel is too and we have faith that he will be found. Thank you for your support!”


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Black And Missing

Baltimore police searching for kidnapped 4-year-old

4-year-old Kaimir Rodgers was reportedly kidnapped in front of his West Baltimore home.

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Kaimir Rodgers (Photo Source: Baltimore Police)

Update: The search for 4-year-old Kaimir Rodgers has been called off. Baltimore police say he was found safe and unharmed at a family member’s home in Baltimore County.

Detectives are still investigating it as a kidnapping.

Authorities in Baltimore are seeking the public’s help in finding 4-year-old Kaimir Rodgers.

4-year-old Kaimir Rodgers is missing

According to police, Kaimir was taken from his family’s home in the 1900 block of Ruxton Avenue in West Baltimore on Tuesday. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt.

Police shared a video of the child being carried away by a person wearing light gray sweatpants, a dark gray hoodie and pink sneakers.

The person is seen accompanied by two other people, according to police. One is dressed in all black and the other is seen wearing a light gray sweatshirt, dark gray pants and a black ski mask.

Information on his disappearance

If you have any information on Kaimir’s whereabouts and the identities of those who took him, call 911 or Baltimore detectives at 410-396-2477.


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Black And Missing

FBI offers $15K reward in search for missing 12-year-old girl

The FBI is seeking the public’s help in locating 12-year-old Lori Paige.

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Lori Paige
Lori Paige

The FBI is seeking the public’s help in locating 12-year-old Lori Paige.

Missing details

Lori went missing from Tallahassee, Floria on June 3, 2023.

Authorities is offering $15k on any information on Lori’s disappearance.

“The FBI will stop at nothing to protect kids, and we are fully committed to helping our partners at Tallahassee Police Department exhaust every investigative resource in the search for Lori Paige,” FBI Jacksonville Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis told WTXL news station.

“We encourage everyone to keep an eye out for this young lady, and help us bring her home.”

According to the FBI, Lori has ties to or may visit Tallahassee, Florida; Tampa, Florida; Thomasville, Georgia, and Nashville, Tennessee.

Authorities are taking the missing case seriously, statimh in a media advisory on Feb. 1 that TPD’s Special Victims Unit is continuing to “tirelessly explore every lead and resource to locate [Lori Paige].”

“The length of time that has passed and her young age only heightens our concerns for her well-being,” the statement said.

“Despite our persistent efforts, Lori remains out of contact with her family and friends. However, we remain committed to bringing her home safely.

About Lori Paige

The 12-year-old was a student at Griffin Middle School.

She was last seen on June 3, 2023 in the 1200 block of Continental Ct in Tallahassee.

She is described as a dark-skinned Black female with shoulder length locs, black hair, brown eyes and weighs about 120 pounds.

Police said that it is unknown what she was wearing when she was last seen, but she may have had a multicolored backpack.

Police are asking anyone with information that could lead to Lori’s recovery to contact TPD at 850-891-4200.


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