Morgan Lamandre

So we took a deep dive into this Naziyah Harris case out of Detroit, and it is breaking our hearts... 💔 Na'Ziyah Harris, a 13-year-old from Detroit, went missing on January 9, 2024, after she was last seen getting off a school bus. Her disappearance and subsequent murder investigation led to the arrest and charging of Jarvis Butts, a 41-year-old man from Highland Park, with first-degree premeditated murder, second-degree criminal sexual conduct, and child sexually abusive material. Na'Ziyah was reported missing the day after she was last seen. Her social media accounts went quiet, and she did not return home from school. Butts was charged with multiple counts related to Na'Ziyah's case, including murder and sexual assault. He was also accused of sexual offenses involving two other girls, one now 20 and another now 13, from separate incidents dating back to 2012 and 2015 respectively. It was alleged that Butts had groomed Na'Ziyah since 2022, leading to her pregnancy, which he tried to cover up by looking into abortions and even searching for methods like drinking red anti-freeze. Text messages revealed Butts and Na'Ziyah had communicated on the day she disappeared, planning a meet-up. Butts was seen with her after school, and they visited Ypsilanti before returning to Detroit. Police found clothing believed to be Na'Ziyah's near the Rouge River, where Butts was located the day after her disappearance, with signs suggesting a struggle. Digital forensics, including phone records, showed Butts' movements and searches related to abortions around the time Na'Ziyah went missing. Butts was bound over for trial after a preliminary examination where numerous witnesses, including family members and digital forensics experts, testified. The judge described Butts as a "monster" for his actions, believing he killed Na'Ziyah to cover up the pregnancy. Na'Ziyah's family has been actively involved, expressing frustration over the initial handling by school officials and hoping for justice. They've also highlighted systemic failures, particularly with Child Protective Services and school oversight, which might have prevented the tragedy if addressed earlier. As of the latest updates, Na'Ziyah's body has not been found, but the case proceeded to trial based on the overwhelming evidence of her murder by Butts. "As a community, we should look at this case as a prime example of how much work we have to do when it comes to protecting our children and especially Black girls." --Judge Aliyah Sabree