Black And Missing
Jelani Day’s Cause of Death Revealed
LaSalle County Coroner has revealed Jelani Day’s cause of death — weeks after his body was discovered and identified by officials.
Authorities have revealed Jelani Day’s cause of death — weeks after his body was discovered and identified by officials.
Jelani Day’s cause of death
On Monday, official Richard Ploch of LaSalle County Coroner’s office announced that the 25-year-old Illinois State University graduate student — who was reported missing August 25 after he didn’t show up to class for several days — died from drowning.
Although Jelani Day’s cause of death has been revealed, the Coroner said “the manner in which Mr. Day went into the Illinois River is currently unknown.”
Authorities also said that “there was no evidence of any (pre-death) injury, such as manual strangulation, an assault or altercation, sharp, blunt, or gunshot injury, infection, tumor, natural disease, congenital abnormality, or significant drug intoxication.”
Last Seen
Jelani Day’s family last spoke to the aspiring doctor on August 23.
His last known location was at a cannabis dispensary on August 24. Day was also seen on his college campus that same day.
On August 26, Day’s vehicle was located in Peru, Illinois, with no license plates in a wooded area south of the Illinois Valley YMCA and north of the intersection of 12th Street and Westclox Avenue.
Body Found
Days later on September 4, a male body was recovered floating near the south bank of the Illinois River, approximately a quarter mile east of the Illinois Route 251 bridge.
Later that month on September 23, the coroner determined that the body belonged to Day, using dental records and DNA testing and comparison to confirm.
Jelani Day’s cause of death : unusual
Bloomington Police Officer John Fermon told People that Day’s case “was unusual… from a police standpoint.”
Jelani Day
“Usually when we have missing persons or runaways there is usually a story behind why they ran away,” he said. “They might have had marital issues or they just wanted to get away. He was close with his family. He was attending ISU. There wasn’t an underlying explanation as to why he went missing.”
Fermon continued, “Usually there is an underlying reason why they go missing and there wasn’t for Jelani. He just went missing and that is why we are trying to determine the circumstances around him going missing.”
Justice
Family and friends continue to seek justice in Jelani Day’s disappearance and death.
His fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, created an online petition demanding that federal as well as state authorities take over the investigation from the Bloomington Police Department.
Jelani Day’s mother, Carmen Bolden Day, has long suspected foul play.
Mrs. Day told ABC News earlier this month that she wants investigators “to use their tools and their resources so that we can find out what happened to Jelani, because he did not disappear into thin air.”
She also told “Good Morning America” last month, “Somebody knows something, somebody’s seen something, and I need somebody to say something.”
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.
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!”
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.
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.
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.
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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