Black and Missing: Help Us Find Relisha Tenau Rudd

by Shine My Crown Staff

Relisha Tenau Rudd went missing on March 19, 2014, when she was just eight years old.

Relisha was staying at a D.C. homeless shelter where she lived with her mother and siblings at the time of her disappearance. Relisha was last seen with a janitor who worked at the shelter.

The janitor was identified as 51-year-old Kahlil Tatum. Tatum was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, days after his wife’s body had been found, killed by a bullet from the same gun. Police had issued a warrant for Tatum for the murder of his wife prior to him taking his life.

Police reported that Tatum bought a shovel, lime and contractor-sized trash bags and visited D.C.’s Kenilworth Park around the time Relisha was last seen. Her body has never been found, and no one has been charged with her disappearance.

Her disappearance was reportedly not brought to the attention of the authorities until weeks later. She missed more than 30 days of school before a social worker alerted the police. Relisha was known to wear a purple Helly Hansen brand winter jacket and pink boots.

Natalie Wilson, the co-founder of the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc., told ABC News last year that she believes Relisha is alive.

“Sadly, we believe that she is possibly a victim of sex trafficking,” said Wilson. “We believe that someone has information as to the whereabouts of Relisha. All we need is one person to come forward.”

In 2019, Relisha’s stepfather Antonio Wheeler said that he, too, believes Relisha to be still alive.

“I actually believe she’s still alive,” told WUSA9, “they just keep looking for a body and every time they look for a body you find nothing so, what’d that tell you?” He continued, “I pray to God that she’s alive because I don’t know what I’d do if she come up any other way but alive.”

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the location and return of missing Relisha.

Anyone with information can submit a tip to Black and Missing here.

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