DETROIT – Officials provided an update on the case of a missing 13-year-old girl who was last seen seven months ago getting off a school bus in Detroit.
Na’Ziyah Harris disappearance
Police said Na’Ziyah Harris, a 13-year-old student at J. E. Clark Preparatory Academy in Detroit, was last seen Jan. 9, 2024.
She got off a school bus at Cornwall Street and 3 Mile Drive, which is near the intersection of Warren Avenue and Outer Drive on Detroit’s east side.
“They have footage of her getting on the school bus, and the bus driver said that she got off at her regular stop she normally (does),” said Anette Harris, her grandmother and guardian.
The Detroit Public Schools Community District launched an investigation into Na’Ziyah‘s disappearance the following day. The case was then brought to the Detroit Police Department.
Officers canvassed the area where Na’Ziyah was last seen, fanning out across the neighborhood with dogs and volunteers. They knocked on doors and performed a grid search.
Police said additional searches would extend beyond Wayne County. Since then, more than a dozen searches have taken place across Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Clinton Township.
Officials have offered a $1,000 reward for information in the case.
Police and family members haven’t been able to figure out how Na’Ziyah disappeared in the short distance between the bus stop and her home.
“I want my baby home, and I’m asking in the name of Jesus -- and I stand on my faith -- he is going to bring her home, and we can band together and find her,” Harris said. “We can make a difference.”
Warrant submitted
The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to Local 4 on Thursday morning, Aug. 15, 2024, that Detroit police have submitted a warrant request in this case.
Prosecutors are currently in the process of reviewing that request.
This update suggests police believe they have gathered enough evidence to charge someone in connection with Na’Ziyah‘s disappearance.
The exact charges requested in the warrant are unclear.
Have information? Call police
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Detroit Police Department’s Major Crimes Division at 313-596-2260.
If you want to remain anonymous, you can submit information to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-SPEAK-UP or going to their website.
