Welcome back to Black and Unsolved: True Crime Chronicles on the NBG Podcast Network. Host A.I. Jackson shares another tragic and chilling story, one of mystery, heartbreak, and lingering questions. Today, we look into the disappearance of Relisha Rudd, an eight-year-old girl who vanished from Washington, D.C. in 2014.
Relisha's case has haunted the nation for years, not just because of her young age, but because of the deep system failures that allowed her to disappear without a trace. Join A.I. Jackson as he dives into a case that remains unsolved to this day, one that reminds us of the vulnerabilities faced by children, particularly Black children, in America.
The disappearance of Relisha Rudd is more than a tragic story about a missing child; it is a glaring example of systemic failure and racial disparities in how missing person cases are treated. Despite extensive searches and investigations, Relisha has never been found, and her case remains open.
Join us as we explore the complexities and heartbreak of Relisha Rudd's case, the systemic failures that contributed to her disappearance, and the ongoing efforts to find her and seek justice. This episode is a sobering reminder of the importance of vigilance and accountability to protect vulnerable children.
If you have any information that could lead to answers, please contact the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. Stay tuned for our next episode as we continue to explore unresolved cases and the stories behind them.
Thank you for tuning in! If you enjoyed this episode, hit that like button, leave a comment, and share it with your friends. We’d love to hear your thoughts, so don’t forget to write a review! And for more amazing shows, head over to NBGPodcastNetwork.com and check out our complete lineup offer. Stay connected, stay empowered, stay vigilant and we’ll catch you next time!”
00:00:00 --> 00:00:05 Welcome back to Black and Unsolved, True Crime Chronicles on the NBG Podcast Network.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:13 I'm your host, A.I., Jackson, here to share another tragic and chilling story,
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 one of mystery, heartbreak, and lingering questions.
00:00:19 --> 00:00:24 Today, we look into the disappearance of Relisha Rudd, an eight-year-old girl
00:00:24 --> 00:00:28 who vanished from Washington, D.C. in 2014.
00:00:29 --> 00:00:35 Relisha's case has haunted the nation for years, not just because of her young.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:43 Music.
00:00:35 --> 00:00:41 Age, but because of the deep system failures that allowed her to disappear without a trace.
00:00:42 --> 00:00:47 Join me as we dive into a case that remains unsolved to this day,
00:00:47 --> 00:00:51 one that reminds us of the vulnerabilities faced by children,
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 particularly Black children, in America.
00:00:55 --> 00:01:03 Relesha Tinau Rudd was born on October 29th, 2005, in Washington, D.C.
00:01:03 --> 00:01:10 Like many children, she had her share of dreams and an infectious energy that drew people toward her.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 Relesha's life, however, was far from easy.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:18 By the time she was eight years old, she lived with her mother,
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 Shamika Young, and three younger brothers at the D.C.
00:01:22 --> 00:01:27 General Homeless Shelter, a shelter housed in what was once a hospital.
00:01:27 --> 00:01:31 It was supposed to be a temporary home for families in need,
00:01:31 --> 00:01:35 but for Relisha, it became the last place she was seen alive.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:41 Relisha's upbringing was marked by instability. The shelter was crowded,
00:01:41 --> 00:01:46 the environment unsafe, and her mother struggled with personal difficulties
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 that made parenting more challenging.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:52 Relisha's family had been the subject of several visits by social workers over
00:01:52 --> 00:01:56 the years, and her well-being was a concern for many.
00:01:56 --> 00:02:00 But the systems in place, those designed to protect children,
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 failed her in the most tragic way.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:10 At the center of this heartbreaking story is a man named Khalil Malik Tatum.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:16 Tatum was a janitor at the D.C. General Homeless Shelter, but to the families
00:02:16 --> 00:02:21 living there, he became something more, a figure of trust, someone who appeared
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 to go above and beyond his duties.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:29 Tatum, in particular, had taken an interest in Relisha.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:33 Over time, he developed a close relationship with her and her family,
00:02:34 --> 00:02:40 often buying Relisha gifts, taking her on outings, and ingratiating himself with her mother.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:45 Tatum wasn't just another employee at the shelter. He was seen as a friend,
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 even someone who looked out for Relisha.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:53 To Relisha's mother, Shamika Young, Tatum's attention was welcome.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:57 He was seen as a positive influence, someone who wanted to help her daughter.
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 But Tatum was not what he seemed.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:06 Relisha's family knew him as Dr. Tatum, a title he falsely claimed,
00:03:06 --> 00:03:11 pretending to be a physician who had Relisha's best interests at heart.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:16 This lie not only earned him the family's trust, but allowed him to maintain
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 a level of authority that delayed suspicion.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:24 Music.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:25 The reality, however, was that Tatum had a violent past, a fact that would only
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 come to light after Relisha disappeared.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:34 February 26, 2014, was the last day Relisha Rudd was seen alive. live.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:40 On this day, she was spotted on surveillance cameras, walking down the hallways
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 of a Holiday Inn Express with Tatum in Northeast D.C.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:48 To anyone watching the footage, it might have looked like a normal interaction
00:03:48 --> 00:03:53 between an adult and child, but that was the last confirmed sighting of Relisha.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:58 In the weeks following this, Relisha would vanish, and the people around her
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 wouldn't raise alarms as quickly as they should have.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:05 Relisha had missed weeks of school, but instead of immediately sounding the
00:04:05 --> 00:04:09 alarm, her absences were initially excused.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:15 Her mother, Shamika Young, provided school officials with a note, purportedly from Dr.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 Tatum, explaining that Relisha was under his medical care.
00:04:19 --> 00:04:24 This note delayed any formal investigation, allowing critical time to pass.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:29 It wasn't until March 19th, 23 days after Relisha was last seen,
00:04:29 --> 00:04:35 that a school counselor grew suspicious and contacted D.C.'s Child and Family Services Agency.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:40 When questioned, Shamika claimed that Relisha was in Tatum's care,
00:04:40 --> 00:04:44 leading authorities to realize that something was seriously wrong.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:50 As soon as authorities began investigating, they uncovered disturbing truth.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:56 Khalil Tatum was not a doctor. He was a janitor with a criminal record,
00:04:56 --> 00:05:00 including charges of burglary and domestic violence.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:05 Investigators immediately issued an amber alert for Alicia, but by then,
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 she had already been missing for weeks.
00:05:08 --> 00:05:13 The search for Alicia quickly focused on Tatum. Police reviewed surveillance
00:05:13 --> 00:05:18 footage, retracing his steps and scouring his known whereabouts.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:24 They discovered that Tatum had taken Relisha to various motels over several
00:05:24 --> 00:05:28 days, but no one had seen her since February 26th.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:34 Then, on March 20th, 2014, the case took a darker turn.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:42 Investigators found Tatum's wife, Andrea Tatum, dead in a Maryland motel, shot to death.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:47 Tatum became the prime suspect in her murder, and he was now on the run.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:53 With both Relisha and Tatum missing, the investigation became a race against time.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:58 On March 31st, just over a month after Relisha was last seen,
00:05:59 --> 00:06:05 Kotliel Tatum was found dead in a shed in Kenilworth Park, northeast D.C.
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 He had died by suicide, a gunshot wound to the head.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:15 Tatum's death brought an end to the manhunt, but it didn't answer the most critical
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 question, where was Relisha?
00:06:17 --> 00:06:22 Tatum had taken whatever secrets he had about Relisha's disappearance to the grave.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:28 The police launched a massive search of Kenilworth Park, scouring every inch
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 of the area for signs of the missing girl.
00:06:31 --> 00:06:35 But despite extensive efforts, no trace of Relisha was found.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:41 Relisha Rudd, an eight-year-old girl, had vanished into thin air.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:47 The disappearance of Relisha Rudd is more than a tragic story about a missing child.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:53 It is a glaring example of systemic failure. At every step, there were opportunities
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 for intervention, but the system missed her.
00:06:57 --> 00:07:01 Relisha lived in the D.C. General Homeless Shelter, a facility that was meant
00:07:01 --> 00:07:05 to provide refuge, but was instead a breeding ground for neglect.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:11 Staff members failed to report the inappropriate relationship between Tatum and Relisha.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:17 Social workers had visited the family multiple times, but no real action was
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 taken to remove her from an unsafe environment.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:24 Her absences from school should have prompted an immediate response,
00:07:25 --> 00:07:29 but the forged note from Tatum delayed the investigation for precious days.
00:07:30 --> 00:07:35 By the time authorities realized the gravity of the situation, Relisha was long gone.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:41 The case also shines a light on the broader issue of racial disparities in missing persons cases.
00:07:42 --> 00:07:48 Despite the danger Relisha was in, her Her disappearance did not initially receive
00:07:48 --> 00:07:53 the widespread media attention that cases involving missing white children often do.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:59 The story of Relisha Rudd, like the stories of so many missing black children,
00:07:59 --> 00:08:00 was tragically overlooked.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:05 There are a limited number of theories for what happened to Relisha,
00:08:05 --> 00:08:11 given Tatum's behavior and murder-suicide shortly after her disappearance.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:16 Authorities generally believe that Rudd was either murdered by Tatum or sold
00:08:16 --> 00:08:20 to sex traffickers, although the sex trafficking theory has been ruled out by
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 D.C. Metropolitan Police Detective.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:28 In an interview with the Washington Post, a senior law enforcement official
00:08:28 --> 00:08:33 suspected that Tatum had been sexually exploiting Relisha and possibly pimping
00:08:33 --> 00:08:37 her to others, and may have killed his wife due to her finding out about his activities.
00:08:38 --> 00:08:43 Another theory is that Ricky Sheridan Lyles Sr., who was Tatum's brother-in-law,
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 might have been involved and could have killed Tatum.
00:08:46 --> 00:08:50 Lyles was questioned, but ruled out as a person of interest.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:54 To this day, Relisha Rudd has never been found.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:59 Her family continues to search for answers, refusing to give up hope that one
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 day they will learn the truth.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:07 Every year, they hold vigils to keep her memory alive, to remind the world that
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 Relisha is still missing.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:15 The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department continues to list Relisha Rudd as a
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 missing person, and the investigation remains open.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:23 The city and community hold on to hope that someone, somewhere,
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 knows something that could bring Relisha home.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:31 Organizations like the Black and Missing Foundation have taken up Relisha's
00:09:31 --> 00:09:37 cause, working tirelessly to ensure her case and the cases of other missing
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 black children remain in the public eye.
00:09:40 --> 00:09:45 But as the years pass, the answers remain elusive.
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 Relisha Rudd would be 18 years old today.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 The little girl who once walked the halls of Payne Elementary School,
00:09:53 --> 00:09:58 who dreamed of a life beyond the shelter, is now a symbol of a broken system,
00:09:59 --> 00:10:03 one that failed to protect her and has yet to find justice for her.
00:10:04 --> 00:10:10 Relisha's story continues to haunt Washington, D.C. and beyond.
00:10:10 --> 00:10:16 It reminds us of the importance of vigilance, of demanding accountability,
00:10:16 --> 00:10:20 and of making sure no child ever falls through the cracks again.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:27 Thank you for joining us on this episode of Black and Unsolved True Crime Chronicles.
00:10:28 --> 00:10:32 Relisha Rudd's story is one of the most tragic cases we've covered.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:36 Music.
00:10:32 --> 00:10:37 But it is a story that must be told again and again, so we never forget her.
00:10:37 --> 00:10:44 If you have any information that could lead to answers, please contact the D.C.
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 Metropolitan Police Department.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:53 Every piece of information counts. Remember, behind every unsolved case is a
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 family searching for answers.
00:10:55 --> 00:11:01 Let's not forget them. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to hit that like
00:11:01 --> 00:11:05 button, leave a comment, and share it with your friends.
00:11:05 --> 00:11:09 We'd love to hear your thoughts, so don't forget to write a review.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:17 And for more amazing NBG Podcast Network shows, head over to nbgpodcastnetwork.com
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 and check out our complete lineup.
00:11:19 --> 00:11:25 Stay tuned for our next episode, where we will continue to explore unresolved
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 cases and the stories behind them.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:33 Remember, stay connected, stay empowered, and stay vigilant.
00:11:34 --> 00:11:38 Until then, I'm your host, A.I.
00:11:38 --> 00:11:46 Jackson, and this is Black and Unsolved, True Crime Chronicles on the NBG Podcast Network.
00:11:49 --> 00:11:49 Thank you.
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