Case Details
- Photo URLs:
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- Missing Since:
- Missing Since 03/01/2014
- Missing From:
- Missing From Washington D.C., Washington D.C.
- Classification:
- Classification Non-Family Abduction
- Gender:
- Female
- Race:
- Race Black
- Date of Birth:
- Date of Birth 10/29/2005 (19)
- Age:
- Age 8 years old
- Height and Weight:
- Height and Weight 4’0, 80 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description:
- Clothing/Jewelry Description Possibly a purple Helly Hansen winter jacket and pink boots.
- Distinguishing Characteristics:
- Distinguishing Characteristics African-American female. Black hair, brown eyes. Some agencies spell Relisha’s middle name “Tinau.” Her nickname is Li’l Mama.
- Details of Disappearance:
- Relisha, a young girl, disappeared in Washington D.C. in March 2014. She was living with her mom and brothers in a large, overcrowded, and unsafe homeless shelter. A janitor at the shelter, Kahlil Tatum, befriended the family. He gave Relisha gifts and she called him “God-daddy.” He also gave gifts to other girls in the shelter, breaking a strict rule against employees socializing with residents.
Relisha’s mom, Shamika Young, asked Tatum to care for Relisha in late February because the shelter was terrible. Relisha started missing school, and although her mom initially claimed Relisha was with a “Dr. Tatum,” it turned out Tatum wasn’t a doctor.
When school officials and social workers investigated, Tatum avoided them. It was discovered that he had killed his wife and was suspected of killing Relisha. He was found dead by suicide shortly after. Relisha has never been found, and authorities believe she is dead.
The investigation revealed serious failings: the shelter was dangerous, the social services agency (CFSA) was slow to respond to Relisha’s absences and the unsafe situation, and Tatum was allowed to continue working despite breaking shelter rules. The city later closed the large shelter and planned to replace it with smaller ones, though this took longer than anticipated. Relisha’s case highlighted serious flaws in the city’s system for protecting children.
- Agency:
- Metropolitan Police Department 202-265-9100
- Source Links:
This person was missing Missing Since 03/01/2014