DC DC - Relisha Tenau Rudd, 8, SE DC, 26 Feb 2014 - #1

[bakerlady]

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/l...d-Reported-Missing-From-SE-DC--251168541.html

One of the comments under this video is from someone who claims to know Shamika and says she is mentally "slow".

I know this is just rumor or speculation but the truth is that many homeless people are homeless because of mental illness or learning disabilities. I think it is quite possible that Tatum, being a predator, noticed Shamika's vulnerability and naivety and took advantage of it. Most people would be smart enough to notice.

But there ARE people out there who just aren't that bright. Who knows, maybe she has the mental capacity of a 10 year old. It is possible and would explain her situation.

She says she smokes weed on FB but we all know weed doesn't make people sell their children. It is not that kind of physically addictive drug. If she was a crack head it would make perfect sense but so far nothing has been shown or said that would imply anything other than recreational pot smoking which IMHO is the least harmful of all vices, including cigarettes and alcohol.

 

[AstroKitty]

Agree Bakerlady about the weed aspect, Shamika looks "off" in her eyes -even in video. I had read the comment about her being and took that into consideration because otherwise I feel it reeks of heroin abuse or crack. I've not seen anything to indicate more than weed is going on though.

Otherwise, I do think Tatum did prey upon Shamika but not because she's "naive" (she has got to be street smart in order to have survived her entire life, from childhood onward in the system) but more because she's doing illegal stuff (wouldn't ask for LE help if so), mistrust of LE, broke, liked nice things but couldn't afford it, had strained feelings for her daughter (out of her own mouth but paraphrasing..based on her fb comments) and that she was always pawning the kids off on someone else. Her own family took issue with this.

So we had a perfect storm: a predator in the midst of women that are down on their luck with a few kids, usually no fathers around, women with mistrust for LE. I think he poked around until he found someone that had what he was looking for and was easily swayed by material goods and maybe even cash.

He built trust with Shamika and Relisha by taking Re and bringing her back, each time he kept her a bit longer and the gifts were a bit more pricey.

 

[Coldpizza]

Please read

At this point in time the mom is considered a victim. She seems to have made a horrible choice in giving her child to this "person". We are victim friendly and at this point the mom is a victim.

Her comments on FB are off limits unless the direction of this case changes.

Please be mindful when you post.

:tyou:

 

[bakerlady]

[modsnip]

 

[shefner]

Weed is not the worst of all evils but its one of the worst for your brain cells. Pot kills your brain cells. My own addict son, who was brilliant (in 5th grade he was tested and we were told he was a genius), started his downward spiral with pot. He told me once that of all the drugs he did, pot hurt his thinking capabilities longterm more than any other. He said he could feel the drug "dumbing" him down....and he was aware that he was not processing information properly. He was losing his interests in learning and succeeding.
So if you already have a mental deficiency, smoking pot will not help.

 

[Coldpizza]

Please all take a moment to read the rules:

The Rules - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


:tyou:

 

[zwiebel]

Oh, hope they find this little one safe.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/03/2...elisha-rudd-8-makes-plea-for-her-safe-return/

 

[gnsndr33]

I'm sure I missed this somewhere in the tread... but where is the biological father? Did he pay child support? Maybe that's where the cash came from. I know here in Louisiana if your behind they will garnish father's income tax and send it to mother. Sorry if I'm not suppose to ask about the father.

 

[tlcya]

good to see you posting gnsndr33

I have seen no mention of Relisha's biological father in the press. I do not know know much about the history of this mother and her children but it is possible that Relisha's father has never been in the picture. Just guessing - speculation. I would think that had her father been part of her life the press would have located him and tried to interview him by now. JMO

 

[shadow of my mind]

Posted: Sunday, March 23, 8:17 PM
D.C. shelter residents say janitor sought in girl’s disappearance gave gifts to children
“Mr. Tatum,” as he was known to the residents of the D.C. General family homeless shelter, cut a unique figure for a janitor.

He dressed sharply, often in Polo designer clothing, sometimes in a suit and tie. He kept his burgundy SUV, decorated with an oversize Redskins window sticker, spotless. And he was given to seemingly random acts of generosity for the hundreds of children living in the former hospital campus, according to shelter residents.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...469b3e-b2a3-11e3-8cb6-284052554d74_story.html

 

[bakerlady]

Relishas bio father does live in DC and is on FB. I found him earlier but it lacks any real information.

 

[Hejlena]

Sure would be mighty kind of someone from DC General or the City to offer up some words of explanation, apologies...hope.

 

[tlcya]

I am more interested right at the moment in this little girl being found alive and soon.

Later I would be interested to learn what the shelter knew when about Relisha's whereabouts and Tatum's background.

From what I am understanding mom handed her over to him, not once but quite a few times. Not the shelter. If DC General knew that was going on, I will be angry and question that.

but for now, I just don't have enough info to decide what I think they should have done to prevent this or how much they have to apologize for if anything.

With every hour that passes the odds that this will have a happy ending grow slimmer.

 

[AstroKitty]

I am more interested right at the moment in this little girl being found alive and soon.

Later I would be interested to learn what the shelter knew when about Relisha's whereabouts and Tatum's background.

From what I am understanding mom handed her over to him, not once but quite a few times. Not the shelter. If DC General knew that was going on, I will be angry and question that.

but for now, I just don't have enough info to decide what I think they should have done to prevent this or how much they have to apologize for if anything.

With every hour that passes the odds that this will have a happy ending grow slimmer.

The way it reads is that it was several occasions but they've not said how many, I guessed this was his 3rd time taking her .. at least. I would like a more definite #>

Im really shocked the feds and local le hasn't asked mom to make more appeals, or that she isn't.. since Tatum is wanted and for all they know - both he and Relisha are alive. Very sad this isn't getting more air time.

 

[Hejlena]

I am more interested right at the moment in this little girl being found alive and soon.

Later I would be interested to learn what the shelter knew when about Relisha's whereabouts and Tatum's background.

From what I am understanding mom handed her over to him, not once but quite a few times. Not the shelter. If DC General knew that was going on, I will be angry and question that.

but for now, I just don't have enough info to decide what I think they should have done to prevent this or how much they have to apologize for if anything.

With every hour that passes the odds that this will have a happy ending grow slimmer.

Of course you are so right, Miss Relisha needs to be found and that is priority. I think what I want is *something* from DC General--forget apologies and explanations for a moment and just say...*something* that acknowledges the fact that there is a very vulnerable human being right now who has gone missing and that their caring hearts...care. I dunno--to me, the silence is ugly.

And when the time comes, yes I'd like to hear some answers. I stand firmly behind my opinion that if so many clients knew what this man was doing crossing those boundaries with children and their families, staff had to hear of it. Yes, Relisha's mom continually let her baby girl go with this man and yes it is so wrong.

But DC General is a shelter for people who are homeless, some mentally ill, with chemical addictions and sexual addictions and gambling addictions and histories of being physically and sexually and emotionally abused...The people running DC General have a responsibility to be aware that those they hire to help are not taking advantage of this vulnerable population. But you're right--there'll be time for that when Relisha is found.

 

[Leilei]

Posted: Sunday, March 23, 8:17 PM
D.C. shelter residents say janitor sought in girl’s disappearance gave gifts to children
“Mr. Tatum,” as he was known to the residents of the D.C. General family homeless shelter, cut a unique figure for a janitor.

He dressed sharply, often in Polo designer clothing, sometimes in a suit and tie. He kept his burgundy SUV, decorated with an oversize Redskins window sticker, spotless. And he was given to seemingly random acts of generosity for the hundreds of children living in the former hospital campus, according to shelter residents.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...469b3e-b2a3-11e3-8cb6-284052554d74_story.html

A janitor in a homeless shelter, wearing designer clothing (a suit? really???), handing out gifts to the kids there. That's not suspicious at all, nope. Quarters for the machine I can see, sure, but the rest is just insane and WHY was none of this reported to those who run the shelter?

Sorry, I've been following but not commenting, and this article pushed me over the edge. This did not have to happen. Someone could have spoken up, or someone could have listened. His behavior was not okay. I would have pitched a full-on fit if I were a parent there.

 

[hambirg]

Kind off the current topic. . but what do we think happened with his wife? LE said they didn't think Relisha was ever at the hotel. They must know that from video. So that throws out the obvious that Tatum was taking her there while she was suppose to be at school and abusing her, and the wife catching on and confronting him. Was the wife having an affair and Tatum went there and confronted her, killed her and then took off with Relisha? I'm almost more comfortable with that then the other theory. Not that any of this is good. I do think he was preying on vulnerable folks in the homeless shelter.

Ugh! Where are they?!!!!

 

[2Hope4]

I'm thinking both were looking after Relisha until the questions started on Wednesday/Thurs. At that point, KT knew things were getting heated. Knowing they had already been evicted from the apartment, were they living in the Red Roof Inn? Sounds like the boiling point was met, and possibly to keep the lie from his wife of WHY they had Relisha, and to keep investigators from asking questions of Relisha, he killed Andrea and fled. I don't feel good about the outcome of this. What's he got to lose now? He's lost everything!

 

[2Hope4]

Last June, Tatum was included among several plaintiffs in a lawsuit accusing the city of improperly denying prescription drug coverage to Medicaid recipients.
In the lawsuit, filed in federal court in the District, Tatum was said to be without “steady employment” and “relies on income from working odd jobs to pay for his living expenses.” It said Tatum needs medication to treat high blood pressure and had been on Medicaid since January 2012.
The lawsuit listed an address for Tatum at the Cedar Heights Apartments in Anacostia. A woman who answered the door there Sunday declined to comment on Tatum or his link to the missing girl.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...469b3e-b2a3-11e3-8cb6-284052554d74_story.html

So the company won't say how long he worked there. I'm truly wondering about his timeline as well. Of course, we don't really know when Relisha was last seen other than march 7th.... we are a long ways from March 7th....

 

[2Hope4]

Were they truly married for the 21yrs? Or even knew each other that long? Don't know. There are older wedding photos on Andrea's FB, but I couldn't tell you if it's him or not.