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On March 15, 2019, 30-year-old Najah Ferrell left her home in Avon, Indiana in the dark of the early morning—heading to her third day of orientation at a new job that was supposed to help her build a better future for her kids. She had five children depending on her: two biological sons and three foster children she had welcomed into her home.

But Najah never made it to work.

And by the end of the day, the people who knew her best were certain of one thing: this wasn’t a choice. Najah was reliable. Present. Protective. She didn’t “just disappear”—not without calling, not without making arrangements, and not without picking up her children.

In this episode of Vanished Voices, we walk through the narrow, terrifying timeline that makes this case so chilling—because somewhere in a span of roughly two hours, Najah vanished. Investigators later found her black Nissan Altima abandoned near a movie theater lot on Indianapolis’ northwest side. 

Surveillance video would reveal someone else driving it. Her personal belongings would turn up scattered along the interstate. And weeks later, the case would take a devastating turn when a severed foot was discovered in a retention pond more than 100 miles away—identified by a tattoo, then confirmed through DNA.

Years later, Najah’s family is still fighting for answers. Police still believe someone knows what happened. And the question remains: Who took Najah Ferrell—and why?

If you have any information about Najah’s disappearance or murder, please contact the Hendricks County Communications Center at 317-839-8700 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS (8477). You can remain anonymous. If you’re not comfortable calling, Crime Stoppers also has a mobile app (“P3 Tips”) that allows you to submit information anonymously.

To see more about this case, as well as the sources used to create this episode, visit our Blog Here.

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