An 8-year-old girl remains missing Friday, even after police found a vehicle described in an Amber Alert for her. Meanwhile, police are trying to unravel the mystery behind the death of a woman found during their search for the missing girl.
Relisha Tenau Rudd was last seen Feb. 26 at the D.C. Shelter for Families on the grounds of the old D.C. General Hospital in Southeast. On Thursday, police issued an Amber Alert for her, saying she was believed to be in the company of 51-year-old Kahlil Malik Tatum, who works as a janitor at the shelter.
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But Thursday night in Hyattsville, Md., police found the white 1976 GMC truck they believed the two were traveling in; shortly after, police reissued their alert, which only contained a description of the missing girl. D.C. Police spokeswoman Gwen Crump said despite the omission of Tatum’s name from the flyer, they still believe Rudd is in the company of Tatum.
Richmond Police spokesman Gene Lepley says police in the area were notified Thursday by D.C. Police to be on the lookout for Rudd. Local media outlets were also given her picture to distribute.
The GMC truck was the third vehicle in all that police had said could be associated with Rudd; the other two have also been removed from the alert.
During the course of their search Thursday, police discovered the body of a woman who, sources say, has been identified as Tatum’s wife.
The woman appeared to have been beaten. Her body was found in a room at the Red Roof Inn in Oxon Hill, Md., as Prince George’s County Police searched door to door after D.C. police asked them to check the motel for a connection to Rudd.
The woman’s death is being investigated as a homicide.
Although Rudd has been missing nearly a month, she had not been reported missing until Wednesday. At that point, sources say her school filed a report because she hadn’t been in class for weeks. Relisha’s three siblings had been attending school during that time.
Sources tell News4 that her mother, Shamika, refused to file a missing persons report. Instead, the report was signed by Child & Family Services.
Family members say Shamika had told them her daughter was on a school trip to Georgia.
Relisha is four feet tall and weighs 70 to 80 pounds. She has black hair, brown eyes and a medium complexion. Police said she may be in need of medication.
Sources tell News4 that a witness told police Relisha may have been spotted in D.C. Thursday morning with an unidentified woman.
If you’ve seen Relisha Rudd, call police at 202-727-9099 or 911.
