The tragic and extremely disturbing case of Na’Ziyah Harris has captured social media, sparking backlash and a demand for justice.
In case you’re not familiar with the case, the 13-year-old disappeared on January 9th, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. The young girl was seen getting off her school bus and has not been seen since. Sadly, after her aunt’s boyfriend, Jarvis Butts was arrested in September 2024 in connection to her disappearance and presumed death, the full picture of what happened to Harris was made painfully clear.
A pre-trial hearing began on January 6th and it was quickly discovered that Butts had been grooming Harris since at least 2022. Text messages between the two revealed that Butts had been sexually abusing Harris and meeting up with the child behind the family’s back. Hundreds of text messages documented unspeakable acts and the level he went to to carry out the abuse. What’s more disturbing is that Harris’ aunt and mother of four of Butts’ children, Shannon Harris, claims she never suspected anything out of the ordinary. Harris’ grandmother, who had custody of her, also seems to have overlooked key signs.
One of Harris’ cousins testified that they witnessed Butts sexually assault Harris and accused him of making advances toward her, though she was able to escape his coercion. When Harris confided in Butts that she was pregnant, authorities testified that he’d searched online for abortions and even anti-freeze to get rid of a pregnancy.
A judge ruled that his case would move forward to a jury trial, though the question about where Harris’ body is still lingers over the case. Nevertheless, clothing was located that matched what she was wearing on the day she disappeared. He was also found in possession of Harris’ eyeglasses. As of now, Butts refuses to admit where he placed her or exactly how she was murdered. Investigators found that he had a history of starting romantic relationships with women to get close to their children, having been accused of sexually abusing several other children, including a four-year-old.
The high-profile case caught the attention of rapper Skilla Baby, who offered to pay for a memorial service for Na’Ziyah Harris. Her loved ones have not responded to his proposal, though a judge during the pre-trial hearing expressed that they’d failed the vulnerable child.
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