NC NC - Asha Degree, 9, Shelby, 14 Feb 2000 #2

[Noirdame79]

To clarify what I stated in my in my previous post:

Both Mr. And Mrs. Degree said no one came to the house that they know of that night, and that no one knocked at the door.

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Yet, in 2023, all of sudden, two relatives stopped by in the evening after the power went out (Aquilla's brother-in-law and sister). The parents cannot give a consistent timeline of when Asha went to bed, they can't describe what she was wearing when she went to bed, and can't seem to decide whether or not they had any visitors, yet Aquilla stated she was able to describe every article of Asha's clothing that was missing, including what was later found in her backpack. Hmm.

 

[Noirdame79]

Depending on what version of the story you hear, Harold (Asha's father) was either 1) working until midnight at his second job or 2) was home all night. Which is it? Either he was home all night or he wasn't.

There was no clock in the children's room. Iquilla had to wake up Asha and O'Bryant for school. In my opinion, this pokes a large hole in the groomer theory (or any theory for that matter that involves Asha choosing to leave the house at a specific time). If this was planned, how would Asha know when to get up and leave when there was no clock? (O'Bryant stated that he and Asha were close, and she would not have left without telling him).
One of the few segments of the parents' story that has remained somewhat consistent is that Harold checked on the kids twice, once at 12:30 am and again at either 2 or 2:30 am and Asha and her brother were fast asleep.

Asha had the presence of mind to pack her backpack ahead of time, but didn't have the presence of mind to take her coat, on a cold, wet, stormy night?

The way Asha's backpack was discarded (wrapped in two garbage bags, thrown from a car, and later covered by debris, etc) doesn't sound like something an experienced criminal (aka predator or killer) would do. It sounds like something an amateur would do. My theory is that the person who discarded the backpack was responsible for Asha's disappearance, and this individual panicked when they realized that they still had it and knew they would have to conceal and dispose of it.

 

[Noirdame79]

Frantic 911 Call Transcript Feb 14, 2000

Transcript of 911 call for missing girl

Here is the 911 call from Harold Degree to the police that lasted approximately 2
minutes, 40 seconds. The call was made at 6:39 a.m. Monday:
Dispatcher: 911
Father: Yes, I'd like to report a child missing.
Dispatcher: From where?
Father: From my house.
Dispatcher: What's your address?
Father: Uhh, 3404 Oakcrest Drive.
Dispatcher: Is this an apartment?
Father: Yeah.
Dispatcher: Which apartment?
Father: Uhh, Apartment 3406.
Dispatcher: OK, is she missing from 3404 or 3406?
Father: 3404, I mean.
Dispatcher: There's not an apartment number?
Father: It's 34-, un huh, no, u huh (crying in the background)
Dispatcher: It's not like an A or B?
Father: No, u huh.
Dispatcher: What's your name?
Father: Harold Degree.
Dispatcher: Your phone number, Harold?
Father: (gives phone number) The next-door neighbor said she went down the road
and said she just seen a kid down the road. (crying continues in the background)
Dispatcher: What's the child's name?
Father: Asha Degree
Dispatcher: What's her full name?
Father: Asha Jaquailla Degree
Dispatcher: Can you spell it for me, please?
Father: A-s-h-a J-a-q-u-a-i-l
Dispatcher: J-a what? (crying, talking in the background)
Dispatcher: J-a what?
Father: J-a-q-u - I mean, yeah, J-a-q-u-a-i-l-l-a
Dispatcher: Degree?
Father: Yeah, yeah.
Dispatcher: How old is she?
Father: Uhh, nine.
Dispatcher: White or black?
Father: Black.
Dispatcher: When did you last see her Harold?
Father: Last time I went to bed, she was in the bed. We got up this morning,
called her to get up to go to school, and she wasn't in there. And her bookbag's
missing and her pocketbook. (crying continues in the background)
Dispatcher: So you don't know if she got dressed or if she's still got on her
bedclothes or what?
Father: We don't know.
Dispatcher: Was the door open or anything?
Father: No. Uhh, her brother sleeps in there with her and when he uhh, when he
was in there he didn't hear her when she got up.
Dispatcher: OK.
Dispatcher: All right Harold, I will get an officer to get in touch with you
just as soon as possible. If you do happen to locate her, please call us back
and let us know, OK?
Father: OK.
Dispatcher: Thank you, bye-bye.

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Strange how there's never been any mention of this neighbor who supposedly saw Asha walking down the road in possible connection with the other alleged sightings (and the neighbor just happened to be looking out her window in those early morning hours?). Also notice that Harold mentioned, without being asked, that Asha's backpack and pocketbook were missing.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Also notice that Harold mentioned, without being asked, that Asha's backpack and pocketbook were missing.

That was my first thought reading the transcript, too -- how would a parent notice a "missing" backpack and especially pocketbook in a frantic search for a missing child before the 911 call was even made? Not "We think her backpack/purse are missing?" but stating that they are missing.

But then again, is it possible she always kept her backpack and purse in one place, so they would have known just where to look? This case is tricky.

I also wonder about the alleged neighbor sighting.

 

[Noirdame79]

That was my first thought reading the transcript, too -- how would a parent notice a "missing" backpack and especially pocketbook in a frantic search for a missing child before the 911 call was even made? Not "We think her backpack/purse are missing?" but stating that they are missing.

But then again, is it possible she always kept her backpack and purse in one place, so they would have known just where to look? This case is tricky.

I also wonder about the alleged neighbor sighting.

Interestingly, it was O'Bryant who told the police that he noticed that Asha's backpack was missing (which would make sense since they shared a room). Neither parent told police that they noticed it was gone, yet Harold mentioned it in the 911 call. Also, notice that he never once refers to Asha as his daughter during the call. "A child is missing" not "my child is missing".

Harold also said that a neighbor "just saw" a child going down the street. The 911 call was placed at 6:39 am. The other alleged "sightings" of Asha along the highway were a few hours earlier.

 

[Palisades]

Interestingly, it was O'Bryant who told the police that he noticed that Asha's backpack was missing (which would make sense since they shared a room). Neither parent told police that they noticed it was gone, yet Harold mentioned it in the 911 call. Also, notice that he never once refers to Asha as his daughter during the call. "A child is missing" not "my child is missing".

Harold also said that a neighbor "just saw" a child going down the street. The 911 call was placed at 6:39 am. The other alleged "sightings" of Asha along the highway were a few hours earlier.

Being the morning before school, looking for backpack right away does not seem unusual. It seems pretty logical. You can't find a family member in the morning before school or work, look for the things they take with them to school or work. Then look outside.