Law enforcement authorities announced this morning that the search for eight-year- old Relisha Rudd indicates the child might be dead. Police announced that they are searching a Washington, D.C. park and that the investigation is being called a recovery operation. However Washington, D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier stated that the police have not given up hope on finding little Relisha alive.
Law enforcement officials are now searching the heavily wooded Kenilworth Park and Aquatic center based on recent information. The information stated that Khalil Tatum was last seen at the park after buying a carton of large contractor sized garbage bags. “We’re not making any assumptions, but I think that it would be prudent for us now to make sure we search — and this is a very large area — search this area very well. We cannot ignore the possibility that he may have killed her” stated Police Chief Lanier.
Relisha Rudd was kidnapped over a month ago by Khalil Tatum, a janitor who worked at the homeless shelter where the little girl was staying with her mother. The child’s mother regularly allowed the child to be taken on unsupervised outings with Tatum who is unrelated. The girl was given gifts and taken to special events like Disney on Ice by Tatum to gain her friendship. The mother, Shamika Young, did not report her child missing for several weeks and has given no rational explanation for her actions.
