Remembering Relisha Rudd: 10 years missing, her family and advocates refuse to give up hope

WASHINGTON — Tuesday marks a somber milestone in Washington, D.C., as the community remembers Relisha Rudd, a young Black girl who vanished 10 years ago. She would have turned 19 on Oct 29. To commemorate her birthday and raise awareness about her unsolved case, authorities have released an age-progressed image that reflects what she might look like now, hoping it might prompt someone to come forward with new information.

When Relisha disappeared in March 2014, she was just 8 years old. Her last known sighting was with a janitor who worked at the shelter where she and her family lived, but despite extensive searches, police never found her or uncovered solid leads on her whereabouts. Now, as another year passes without closure, the Black and Missing Foundation has released a statement calling attention to Relisha’s case as a symbol of the countless missing children, particularly Black and Brown girls, who often don’t receive national attention or resources when they go missing.

“As Relisha Rudd turns 19 years old, we at the Black and Missing Foundation will never stop searching for her,” said a spokesperson for the organization. “Her story is a reminder of the countless Black and Brown girls and women, many of whom are vulnerable, who go missing every year. Someone must know something. We must break the cycle of silence to ensure a future where every child, every person, returns home safely.”

Relisha’s story is a painful reminder of the children who disappear without ever gaining the spotlight that might help in their search. For years, her face — captured in photographs from before her disappearance and more recent age-progression images — has served as a heartbreaking reminder for the D.C. community. Her case highlights a critical issue: the lives of missing Black and Brown children are too often undervalued and underrepresented in media and law enforcement resources.

Authorities and advocates remain hopeful that the latest age-progressed image of Relisha will reach someone who knows something, no matter how seemingly small, that could bring her family and community closer to understanding what happened to her.

If you have any information that could help bring closure to Relisha’s family or assist police in solving this case, please contact the D.C. Police Department or the FBI.