The physique of a 19-year-old girl who went lacking in July has been discovered on the identical highway the place she was final seen in Cleveland, Ohio.
Cleveland police stated a cleansing employee discovered the stays of Audreona Barnes on an condo balcony on Thursday, in accordance with a number of shops. The cleaner was shifting a pile of garments on the balcony and located the physique wrapped in a blanket. The stays have been handed over to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Workplace, which recognized them as Barnes'.
It was not clear how lengthy the physique had been there. The earlier tenant of the constructing was evicted in mid-March, in accordance with stories.
In accordance with the Nationwide Crime Info Heart (NCIC), 268,884 women and girls within the U.S. have been reported lacking in 2020. Like Barnes, over 90,000 of them—almost 34 p.c—have been Black, even though Black women and girls account for simply roughly 15 p.c of the nation's feminine inhabitants, in accordance with census knowledge.
A web site known as Our Black Ladies, launched by journalist and activist Erika Marie Rivers in 2018, highlights the tales of Black women and girls who're lacking or mysteriously murdered. Rivers' objective was to deliver consideration to the demographic, which is very under-represented in information protection of lacking ladies.
Barnes was final seen on July 30, 2021. Her mom, Akua Avegnon, informed WOIO-TV that she dreamed of becoming a member of the military. On the day of her disappearance, she met with military recruiters, who allegedly picked her up at her boyfriend's home after which dropped her again off there.
That day, Avegnon's boyfriend obtained a textual content from Barnes through which she requested to be picked up at a fuel station. That textual content did not sound like her daughter, Avegnon stated in accordance with the outlet. Warrensville Heights Detective Gregory Curry additionally stated in October that there was no fuel station on the road the place Barnes was staying.
Barnes' social media accounts have been deactivated and her cellphone was turned off on the time of her disappearance, her household stated.
Curry added that he and a associate tried to talk with Barnes' boyfriend, who didn't cooperate. The detective stated he was not ruling out foul play. It isn't clear whether or not police have interviewed Barnes' boyfriend since Curry spoke to WOIO-TV in October.
Cleveland police additionally haven't confirmed if Barnes' loss of life is being investigated as a murder.
Newsweek reached out to the Cleveland Division of Police and the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner for remark.
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