The story of the unsolved disappearance of eight-year-old Relisha Rudd is particularly tragic because, in her short life, she had already survived so much: Neglect, poverty, homelessness and a cycle of trauma within her family. Her mother, Shamika Young, grew up in foster care, struggled with behavioural issues and at one point even had to be placed in a mental facility. 

Now, Relisha was living with her mom, stepdad Antonio, and little brothers in an overcapacity homeless shelter. It was here that her mother would entrust her to the care of a shelter worker, a janitor named Kahlil Tatum, who had taken a special interest in the little girl. After Shamika handed her precious daughter Relisha over to this practical stranger, 30 days would pass before anyone noticed she was missing. It was the staff at her school who felt something was amiss when they were given a note from her mother stating she was absent due to health issues. Authorities would learn that the note signed by a “Doctor Tatum,” was actually written up by the shelter the janitor, Kahlil Tatum.

An investigation into her whereabouts would reveal two sightings of Relisha had hotels in the area, where she was seen walking down the hallway with Tatum. On the same day an Amber Alert was put out for Relisha, Tatum’s wife would be found shot dead. Shortly after that, Tatum himself would be discovered deceased from an apparent suicide - leaving everyone to ask the question, where was Relisha Rudd?

10 years have passed since Relisha vanished. Her family remains hopeful that she is alive while police have stated this is now a recovery mission. In any case, it is time she is found and brought home. We’re going to talk about the incredible little girl known as Relisha Rudd, the ways she was let down by basically everyone in her life, the details surrounding her disappearance and where the case is at today in 2024.

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/03/03/relisha-rudd-missing-decade-dc-homeless/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4MenKD07QA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmAplZuIKQ8

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-family-homeless-shelter-beset-by-dysfunction-decay/2014/07/12/3bbb7f50-f739-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html

https://medium.com/@themissingfound/case-7-the-disappearance-of-relisha-rudd-d42a2c98379d

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