Untold Stories: Black and Missing BAMFI

On October 20, 2023, Rashawn Williams wandered away from his caregivers in Silver Spring, Maryland, and disappeared. For six days his family was in anguish.  Police were notified, but no alerts were ever released because Rashawn is a 31-year-old man with Down Syndrome and did not meet the criteria for any alert.  In this episode of “Untold Stories: Black and Missing,” we’ll hear Rashawn’s heartbreaking story and the actions his parents have taken to ensure this never happens to another family. 

“Untold Stories: Black and Missing" is a podcast that tells the stories of missing people of color—how our cases fell through the cracks, and how we can raise awareness to bring them back home or provide answers for families desperately searching for their missing loved ones.
In Season 2, we delve into the issues that cause so many of our loved ones to go missing, including domestic violence, cognitive impairment, human trafficking and mental illness. We will also speak with experts about how we can best protect our families, and what we can all do to #HelpUsFindUs.

Recorded live at CrimeCon 2023, the season finale of Untold Stories: Black and Missing, delves into Carlee Russell's fake disappearance; why the  initial news of her disappearance went viral and if it will have an impact on true missing person cases involving people of color. The panel discussion  includes Josh Mankiewicz of NBC Dateline. Russell made national headlines in July when she disappeared after calling 911 to report seeing a toddler walking alone on an Alabama highway. When officers arrived they found her vehicle still running, but there was no trace of her or the child. Two days later, she returned home claiming that she had been kidnapped. However, an investigation revealed her story had holes in it, and on July 24th, her lawyer acknowledged she had made the whole abduction story up and that she acted alone.

Tanesha Howard last spoke to her daughter, Joniah Walker, right before 11 am on June 23, 2022.  The 15-year-old was walking their dog while the two talked. The apartment complex cameras captured the moment on video.  A while later those same cameras caught Joniah rushing from the building.  That was the last anyone has seen of her. Where was she going in such a hurry?  Who was she meeting? Do you know where Joniah Walker is?

From captive to conqueror: Dr. Tonya Stafford’s journey from teen sex trafficking victim to working with homeland security to save others is a candid look at a growing epidemic in our own backyard. After spending a decade in captivity, she’s sharing her story as a wake-up call about what it’s like to be hidden in plain sight, and how to protect your family. This is the second in a 2-part series on sex trafficking.

Wayne and Stacy Flagg were doing everything they could think of to keep their 14-year-old daughter safe from online predators. Their daughter did not have a cell phone.  They monitored her online activity and limited her time on the computer.  Still, on May 15, 2021, Kyla told her dad she loved him then left the house to meet a man she met while gaming online.
That started what Wayne and Stacy say was the worst 39 days of their lives.  What they did not know was the man had spent time grooming Kyla, telling her a fairy tale and making promises he did not keep. 
Kyla’s story is part of a two-part series on sex trafficking.  This is information parents need to know.