Where is Phylicia Barnes? Barnes is a Charlotte, N.C., teen who went missing while visiting her half sister in Baltimore three days after Christmas 2010. Sean Yoes of Black America Web reports that this week marked two months since the 17-year old seemingly vanished into thin air from a northwest-Baltimore neighborhood, and law enforcement doesn't seem to be any closer to finding her than when she was first reported missing.
Barnes, an honor student at Union Academy in her hometown of Monroe, N.C., has been missing since Dec. 28, when she left her half sister's home at the Reisterstown Square Apartment Complex to get something to eat. She had been visiting with her sister and other family members for the Christmas holidays. This week, family members, friends and supporters gathered at Reisterstown Square to hold a vigil for the teen, who turned 17 on Jan. 12.
It is bizarre that this young girl could vanish from an apartment complex in Baltimore during daylight and no one witnessed anything. Her sister's ex-boyfriend was the last person to see her that day. Baltimore police launched a major initiative to try to find her, and still nothing.
During the early days of the search for Barnes, Baltimore police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi proclaimed, "This is Baltimore's Natalie Holloway." And at the time, he frankly said that he believed Barnes' disappearance had not received as much national attention as other cases because she is black.
The reward for information that leads to Barnes' whereabouts is up to $42,000. Anybody with information about her disappearance is encouraged to call 855-223-0033.
Read more at Black America Web.
In other news: CBC Blasts GOP for Attempt to Generate Tension Between Blacks and Immigrants.