Search Resumes in DC for Missing 8-Year-Old Relisha Rudd

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October 27, 2014

BY: LYNETTE HOLLOWAY, theroot.com

Volunteers resumed searching Saturday for 8-year-old Relisha Rudd, who went missing seven months ago after her mother entrusted her in the care of a janitor, who worked at the homeless shelter where the family lived in Washington, D.C.

Four teams scoured three areas near Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Northeast D.C. for Relisha, including search and rescue workers from Maine, who arrived in the area Thursday to help out,according to NBC 4 Washington.

Investigators say it is unlikely that she is still alive, but volunteers told the station they want to find out what happened to Relisha, who was last seen on March 1 at a motel with 51-year-old Khalil Tatum. He worked as a janitor at the homeless shelter where her family lived.

A missing report was not filed in the case, but police became involved on March 19 after inquiries from the child’s school. They discovered the body of Tatum’s wife in a hotel room in Oxon Hill, Md., and police found Tatum’s body on March 31. He is believed to have committed suicide, reports say.

Police say Tatum bought a shovel, lime and contractor sized trashbags at a Home Depot, and spent a lot of time at the park about the time the child was last seen, the news station reports.

But volunteers did not report any new finding late Saturday.

Read full article here.

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