She was just 8 years old when she disappeared in Washington, D.C., in February 2014.
Sadly, she has not been found since that day.
Relisha Rudd's case didn’t get much attention outside the Washington, D.C., area.
Some people think her case was overlooked because she was a black girl from a poor family
This led to a lot of criticism and backlash.
Relisha Rudd was born on October 29, 2005, to Shamika Young and Irving Rudd.
Relisha was known for her vibrant personality.
She enjoyed taking photos, cheerleading, dancing, and going to school.
As the eldest of four siblings, Relisha had three younger brothers.
She attended Ferebee Hope and Payne Elementary Schools.
Her early life was marked by significant adversity and neglect.
Relisha's love for school and creativity stood out despite her challenging circumstances.
Disappearance
In 2014, Relisha Rudd lived with her mother Shamika Young at the D.C. General Shelter.
While living in the shelter with her mother, Shamika befriended Kahlil Tatum, a janitor with a criminal record.
Kahlil Tatum was 51-year-old and he had a criminal record for burglary, larceny, and breaking and entering.
Tatum had served prison time from 1993 to 2003 and then again from 2004 to 2011.
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| Kahlil Tatum |
Tatum was known for inappropriately interacting with shelter residents and paying special attention to young girls.
As Tatum grew closer to Relisha and her family, he was given access to her through her mother, Shamika.
This meant that he was allowed to take her out of the shelter for various activities.
He would often take her to the park, the movies, shopping, and even to his home to play with his grandchild, including sleepovers.
He bought her daughter a tablet and took her to see Disney on Ice.
Relisha hated the shelter.
She called it a trap house — most likely referring to the poor living conditions and the environment surrounding the shelter.
Eventually, Young allowed Tatum to take her daughter from the shelter to stay with him and his grandmother, while Young stayed behind.
Soon after Rudd left the shelter, she just stopped going to school.
It was the protocol that if a student misses 3, 5, then 10 days of unexcused absences, the staff is supposed to intervene.
The school contacted her mother, and she said that Rudd was having health issues and was under the care of a "Dr. Tatum."
The school reached out to "Dr Tatum" using the number Young provided, but he failed to attend a meeting with them.
Thirty days after her absence from school, a counselor reported Rudd missing to the police.
Investigation
The police began a missing-persons investigation on March 19, 2014.
The investigation revealed that Rudd was last seen on camera with Tatum at several local hotels.
The police found video footage of Tatum and Rudd walking down a hallway at a Holiday Inn Express in Northeast Washington, D.C.
This footage was captured on February 26, 2014.
On March 1, another video showed them walking together to a room at a different hotel on New York Avenue in D.C.
The footage from March 1 was the last time Rudd was ever seen.
Tatums Death
Unfortunately, the police never had the chance to speak with Tatum because he took his own life.
He also killed his wife, and many people think she might have known something about Rudd's disappearance.
Tatum's wife, Andrea, was found shot in the head at a motel in Prince George's County, Maryland.
This was the same day Rudd was reported missing, March 20, 2014.
Surveillance tapes showed Andrea and Tatum entering the hotel room the night before.
Tatum was last seen on March 2, 2014.
This was the day after Rudd was last seen, and Tatum was seen buying a shovel, lime, and 42-gallon trash bags.
DC police obtained an arrest warrant for Kahlil Tatum in connection with his wife's murder.
However, on March 31, Tatum's body was found in a shed in Kenilworth Park.
He had died by apparent suicide using the same gun that killed his wife, Andrea.
Theories
There are few theories about what happened to Rudd, considering Tatum's behavior and his murder-suicide shortly after her disappearance.
Authorities generally believe that Rudd was either murdered by Tatum or sold to sex traffickers.
However, DC Metropolitan Police detectives have ruled out the sex trafficking theory.
A senior law enforcement official suspected that Tatum may have been sexually exploiting Relisha and possibly pimping her out to others.
They believe he may have killed his wife because she discovered his activities.
Another theory is that Ricky Sheridan Lyles Sr., Tatum's brother-in-law, might have been involved and could have killed Tatum. Lyles was questioned but later ruled out as a person of interest.
No one has seen Relisha Rudd and her mysterious disappearance remains an unsolved mystery as at today.
If you have any information that could help, please contact the nearest police station with that information as it could be a major clue for Detectives.
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