Found Deceased TN - Tamia Taylor, 21, met friend at 11:30pm and got on a riverboat, when riverboat docked she was missing, Memphis, 9 Sep 2023

[Knox]

Location of the boarding area 45 Riverside Drive (image cap 12/22) -

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[WiseOwl]

Jenkins said earlier Saturday Tamia drove from Brownsville to Jackson to go shopping, ”[At] 7:30 p.m., that’s when we all got dressed and was heading our way to Memphis. Tamia was already drinking. She had a little bottle with her and she was already taking shots and we were smoking,” said Jenkins.

Around 9 p.m., Jenkins said they arrived, parked on Beale Street, and walked the strip. At 11:15 p.m., Jenkins said he met up with more friends at Memphis Riverboats.

While waiting to board, he says Tamia met someone in line, “Them two were talking and whatever and he was telling her ‘Oh, you a Virgo, she’s a Virgo,’ so they started laughing and talking so he gave her some money to buy her a drink so she can celebrate her birthday,” said Jenkins.

Jenkins said after the Island Queen booze cruise took off, the group of four celebrated Tamia’s 21st birthday.

He said at some point Tamia walked alone to the bathroom and was gone for more than 15 minutes.”I walked down there to the first floor and I was talking to Canesha and Shanquila and I asked them where is Tamia? They looked and said she was just right here. So we all split it up and searched the whole boat while the boat was moving looking for Tamia.”

Jenkins said the group of friends searched the entire boat and around 1:45 a.m. when the cruise docked, they called police and Tamia’s family. After a search of the boat and the bars on Beale Street Tamia was still nowhere to be found.

Friend of 21-year-old Tamia Taylor speaks out about her disappearance

In the last three days since 21-year-old Tamia Taylor has been missing all eyes are on Downtown Memphis Riverboats and the three work friends Taylor was with Saturday night.

www.actionnews5.com

What do you mean "they waited until 11:30 to walk away"? That's not what her friend said?

Just looking at this paragraph from the statement Jenkins gave:

He said at some point Tamia walked alone to the bathroom and was gone for more than 15 minutes.”I walked down there to the first floor and I was talking to Canesha and Shanquila and I asked them where is Tamia? They looked and said she was just right here. So we all split it up and searched the whole boat while the boat was moving looking for Tamia."

He says that 'he walked down there to the first floor', walked down from where? Where had he been? The second floor? If so, why didn't he see Tamia pass him on the way to the bathroom?

Then he says he was talking to Canesha and Shanquila and he asks them where Tamia is. He says they looked and said she was just right here. The way the statement is reported it's as if the two women were surprised that Tamia was not still with them. If they did say that, how did they know that Tamia had gone to the bathroom and had been gone for 15 minutes?

Maybe it's just poor reporting but that statement seems a bit odd to me.

 

[cherrymeg]

IMO, Tamia did NOT go overboard. There are two exits off the boat, the reason her friends didn't see her leave and later could not find her - she exited while they were looking for her on the second floor. JMO~

Someone saw an opportunity to take advantage of a very inebriated young woman, who unfortunately was without her phone. Reminds me a little of Morgan Harrington in some ways.

The boat only stops when it docks at the end? Hopefully she is alright. I was always a drunken wanderer. In your 20s celebrating your birthday you might get really drunk. It seems safe because you’re in an area on the water. She could have met with people that saw her alone and vulnerable. Morgan Harrington’s case was awful. Sometimes friends aren’t great babysitters especially if they think you’re talking or dancing with other people. They get distracted. I don’t know if I trust sightings because she couldn’t be the only person with a few friends that came off the boat drunk. So scary

 

[cherrymeg]

Why would someone give her money to buy a drink? That sounds odd to me, why not buy her the drink when they got inside, they would have got in at the same time? I can't imagine a stranger handing her $10 or whatever in the line.

Normally you would offer to buy someone a drink once on the boat. If you give some one money that’s weird. It could be an act of generosity. That no strings attached drink might give the impression that someone is harmless when they really they use your trust in them against you. I don’t know if that makes sense. It might have been harmless but usually people don’t hand out cash. Jmo

 

[MrsWatson]

The only thing I'm taking as fact right now is the press release from the Memphis PD.

Anything else, well, anyone can say anything on TV or social media. That doesn't make it true. And eyewitnesses are notoriously unreliable.

Also? Booze Cruise. Add in alcohol to the unreliable aspect.
moo

 

[DeDee]

Why would someone give her money to buy a drink? That sounds odd to me, why not buy her the drink when they got inside, they would have got in at the same time? I can't imagine a stranger handing her $10 or whatever in the line.

When I was young and free, it was not unusual for a gentleman to pay for a lady's cocktail.

While I do not know if Tamia participated in the African American Cajun birthday tradition of "pinning", it is practiced throughout the Deep South in AL, MS, TX, TN, etal. Some will pin the money to the banner they wear. Some wear the money on their clothes.

 

[swanniee11]

Just looking at this paragraph from the statement Jenkins gave:

He said at some point Tamia walked alone to the bathroom and was gone for more than 15 minutes.”I walked down there to the first floor and I was talking to Canesha and Shanquila and I asked them where is Tamia? They looked and said she was just right here. So we all split it up and searched the whole boat while the boat was moving looking for Tamia."

He says that 'he walked down there to the first floor', walked down from where? Where had he been? The second floor? If so, why didn't he see Tamia pass him on the way to the bathroom?

Then he says he was talking to Canesha and Shanquila and he asks them where Tamia is. He says they looked and said she was just right here. The way the statement is reported it's as if the two women were surprised that Tamia was not still with them. If they did say that, how did they know that Tamia had gone to the bathroom and had been gone for 15 minutes?

Maybe it's just poor reporting but that statement seems a bit odd to me.

Sadly this story seems to be getting "THICKER". More info about their whereabouts etc. IMO

 

[Teche]

When I was young and free, it was not unusual for a gentleman to pay for a lady's cocktail.

While I do not know if Tamia participated in the African American Cajun birthday tradition of "pinning", it is practiced throughout the Deep South in AL, MS, TX, TN, etal. Some will pin the money to the banner they wear. Some wear the money on their clothes.

I'm Cajun French (Louisiana) and this is a wedding ritual where people wanting to dance with the bride or groom will pin money. I've never seen it done for one’s birthday.

 

[Speculaytor]

Jenkins said earlier Saturday Tamia drove from Brownsville to Jackson to go shopping, ”[At] 7:30 p.m., that’s when we all got dressed and was heading our way to Memphis. Tamia was already drinking. She had a little bottle with her and she was already taking shots and we were smoking,” said Jenkins.

Around 9 p.m., Jenkins said they arrived, parked on Beale Street, and walked the strip. At 11:15 p.m., Jenkins said he met up with more friends at Memphis Riverboats.

While waiting to board, he says Tamia met someone in line, “Them two were talking and whatever and he was telling her ‘Oh, you a Virgo, she’s a Virgo,’ so they started laughing and talking so he gave her some money to buy her a drink so she can celebrate her birthday,” said Jenkins.

Jenkins said after the Island Queen booze cruise took off, the group of four celebrated Tamia’s 21st birthday.

He said at some point Tamia walked alone to the bathroom and was gone for more than 15 minutes.”I walked down there to the first floor and I was talking to Canesha and Shanquila and I asked them where is Tamia? They looked and said she was just right here. So we all split it up and searched the whole boat while the boat was moving looking for Tamia.”

Jenkins said the group of friends searched the entire boat and around 1:45 a.m. when the cruise docked, they called police and Tamia’s family. After a search of the boat and the bars on Beale Street Tamia was still nowhere to be found.

Friend of 21-year-old Tamia Taylor speaks out about her disappearance

In the last three days since 21-year-old Tamia Taylor has been missing all eyes are on Downtown Memphis Riverboats and the three work friends Taylor was with Saturday night.

www.actionnews5.com

What do you mean "they waited until 11:30 to walk away"? That's not what her friend said?

He said they searched the whole boat while it was still moving and could not find her?

 

[Stunned]

I'm Cajun French (Louisiana) and this is a wedding ritual where people wanting to dance with the bride or groom will pin money. I've never seen it done for one’s birthday.

I have. It was an Italian birthday party for a little girl.

 

[OldCop]

Sadly this story seems to be getting "THICKER". More info about their whereabouts etc. IMO

Thick as thieves? So many questions here. NOTE: None of these points are intended to be accusatory towards anyone mentioned here. These are discussion points based on statements in MSM.
1) A river cruise company in Memphis, Tennessee, says they do not think that a mother who went missing on their boat went overboard, saying they have video footage of her returning to the harbour on the boat.
What does that even mean? I imagine they sail up the river for a ways then turn around and head back. How close to docking were they when they saw her on video?
2) Jenkins puts himself on the second floor where the bathroom was supposed to be.
“He said at some point Tamia walked alone to the bathroom and was gone for more than 15 minutes.”I walked down there to the first floor and I was talking to Canesha and Shanquila and I asked them where is Tamia? They looked and said she was just right here.” Very confusing. How long was Jenkins separated from the two female friends when Tamia disappeared? Was he with her when she “allegedly” went to the second floor bathroom? What about the story that Tamia left her phone on the table? If the coworkers said ‘She was just right here” where does the 15 minutes come in?
3) “So we all split it up and searched the whole boat while the boat was moving looking for Tamia.” Is he distancing himself from the golf cart shuttle driver who believes he saw Tamia walking with Jenkins and the 2 women coworkers after the boat had docked?
4) Did the coworkers call the police and report Tamia missing after the boat docked? They said they did, but we don’t really know. LE said they received the missing report from Tamia’s mother about 7:00 am Sunday morning. This doesn’t mean the other 3 didn’t call 911 at 1:45. Closing time at bars/clubs/booze cruises are exceedingly busy on Saturday night/early Sunday mornings for LE. A great majority of the people around that time are heavily intoxicated, some incoherent and confused. There are fights, various assault reports, people injured, people lost, and people missing. Who exactly made the call? What was said to them by the dispatcher? Were they told to wait, (which they didn’t)? There will be a record if there was a 911 call. Did the coworkers just say they called so they wouldn’t look bad for leaving their friend?
5). Golf cart shuttle driver. Is he looking for his 15 minutes of fame? Misidentification? Credible sighting?
6) Did Tamia stumble from the boat from the second gangplank and was missed by her friends? Then what happened?

 

[Marysmith]

Thick as thieves? So many questions here. NOTE: None of these points are intended to be accusatory towards anyone mentioned here. These are discussion points based on statements in MSM.
1) A river cruise company in Memphis, Tennessee, says they do not think that a mother who went missing on their boat went overboard, saying they have video footage of her returning to the harbour on the boat.
What does that even mean? I imagine they sail up the river for a ways then turn around and head back. How close to docking were they when they saw her on video?
2) Jenkins puts himself on the second floor where the bathroom was supposed to be.
“He said at some point Tamia walked alone to the bathroom and was gone for more than 15 minutes.”I walked down there to the first floor and I was talking to Canesha and Shanquila and I asked them where is Tamia? They looked and said she was just right here.” Very confusing. How long was Jenkins separated from the two female friends when Tamia disappeared? Was he with her when she “allegedly” went to the second floor bathroom? What about the story that Tamia left her phone on the table? If the coworkers said ‘She was just right here” where does the 15 minutes come in?
3) “So we all split it up and searched the whole boat while the boat was moving looking for Tamia.” Is he distancing himself from the golf cart shuttle driver who believes he saw Tamia walking with Jenkins and the 2 women coworkers after the boat had docked?
4) Did the coworkers call the police and report Tamia missing after the boat docked? They said they did, but we don’t really know. LE said they received the missing report from Tamia’s mother about 7:00 am Sunday morning. This doesn’t mean the other 3 didn’t call 911 at 1:45. Closing time at bars/clubs/booze cruises are exceedingly busy on Saturday night/early Sunday mornings for LE. A great majority of the people around that time are heavily intoxicated, some incoherent and confused. There are fights, various assault reports, people injured, people lost, and people missing. Who exactly made the call? What was said to them by the dispatcher? Were they told to wait, (which they didn’t)? There will be a record if there was a 911 call. Did the coworkers just say they called so they wouldn’t look bad for leaving their friend?
5). Golf cart shuttle driver. Is he looking for his 15 minutes of fame? Misidentification? Credible sighting?
6) Did Tamia stumble from the boat from the second gangplank and was missed by her friends? Then what happened?

Great post and questions. Doesn’t seem to be an urgency to find out what happened here…

 

[jennepenny]

I’m confused. The first alert poster at 11:31am states the mother told police that the friend said she never got on the boat. Then the second alert poster at 2:30 says the friend stated after they docked they couldn’t find her. So did she get on the boat or not? Or are they saying she didn’t get on the boat and after the friends returned they couldn’t find her on land where they left her? Anyone else have an opinion on this?

I am confused as well. <modsnip: no source link> Many stories. I think that her friends know if she was on the boat with them or not?!

 

[jennepenny]

Friend of 21-year-old Tamia Taylor speaks out about her disappearance. Maybe someone posted this already, if so Sorry!

 

[CuriousCricket]

1) A river cruise company in Memphis, Tennessee, says they do not think that a mother who went missing on their boat went overboard, saying they have video footage of her returning to the harbour on the boat.
What does that even mean? I imagine they sail up the river for a ways then turn around and head back. How close to docking were they when they saw her on video?

4) Did the coworkers call the police and report Tamia missing after the boat docked? They said they did, but we don’t really know.

Exactly. The two points I've left have been troubling me as both appear as though they may be to brush away their own blame or guilt instead of being seriously worried about Tamia.

The boat company is particularly adamant she did NOT go overboard. Interesting especially if there are no security cameras on board. That's just to not have to deal with this. Pass the buck, we didn't do nothing.

Her friend basically gave an interview to attempt to explain the role of the friends and to show they did NOT injure her in anyway. That's understandable. People have been speculating wildly about what the friends MIGHT have done without any evidence to support it other than it appears they did leave the boat knowing they were one short of the number who boarded.

By him saying they also checked out the bars still open on Beale Street, it appears their thinking was simply that they had missed her and would find her back on Beale. It does make some sense, but doesn't really smooth everything over. Best guess would be everyone was too inebriated for anyone to think clearly. Plus, of course, those sorts of things always happen to other people. You don't expect something major like a "missing person" to happen on YOUR outing. There WILL be a simple explanation. She'll just turn up. Most of us can't possibly envision something like this happening in our lives.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Jenkins reportedly said they lost sight of Taylor on the ship after she walked alone to the bathroom and was gone for more than 15 minutes. They searched the entire boat and called police at around 1:45 a.m. when the cruise docked, he said.

'Booze cruise' operator says it has 'no reason to believe' missing mother fell overboard

Tamia Taylor, 21, disappeared amid her birthday celebration on a two-hour riverboat cruise.

lawandcrime.com

 

[lonetraveler]

Just looking at this paragraph from the statement Jenkins gave:

He said at some point Tamia walked alone to the bathroom and was gone for more than 15 minutes.”I walked down there to the first floor and I was talking to Canesha and Shanquila and I asked them where is Tamia? They looked and said she was just right here. So we all split it up and searched the whole boat while the boat was moving looking for Tamia."

He says that 'he walked down there to the first floor', walked down from where? Where had he been? The second floor? If so, why didn't he see Tamia pass him on the way to the bathroom?

Then he says he was talking to Canesha and Shanquila and he asks them where Tamia is. He says they looked and said she was just right here. The way the statement is reported it's as if the two women were surprised that Tamia was not still with them. If they did say that, how did they know that Tamia had gone to the bathroom and had been gone for 15 minutes?

Maybe it's just poor reporting but that statement seems a bit odd to me.

This story bothers me. The original story was that Tamia had to go to the restroom and put her phone on the table where her friends were. They picked it up and waited by the door. How can they tell the male when asked where is Tamia, that she was just right here and there is no words about her going to the restroom. It's as if they have no idea where she could have gone. JMO

 

[CuriousCricket]

Jenkins reportedly said they lost sight of Taylor on the ship after she walked alone to the bathroom and was gone for more than 15 minutes. They searched the entire boat and called police at around 1:45 a.m. when the cruise docked, he said.

'Booze cruise' operator says it has 'no reason to believe' missing mother fell overboard

Tamia Taylor, 21, disappeared amid her birthday celebration on a two-hour riverboat cruise.

lawandcrime.com

Jenkins reportedly said they lost sight of Taylor on the ship after she walked alone to the bathroom and was gone for more than 15 minutes. They searched the entire boat and called police at around 1:45 a.m. when the cruise docked, he said.

'Booze cruise' operator says it has 'no reason to believe' missing mother fell overboard

Tamia Taylor, 21, disappeared amid her birthday celebration on a two-hour riverboat cruise.

lawandcrime.com

This photo of the boat seems to show indoor steps at the front of the boat. There's something else going on at the back which we can't see. And a third floor, which may be the crew. If so, it's possible crew members keep a close watch on people coming and going. The second level, has a deck area outside the rail, so that's an extra protection . . . I'd feel better if we could see the back of the boat and whether the guests go up and down steps on the outside of the boat . . . . I do feel that if the third level is staffed (as it appears to be) there's less likelihood she went overboard without being seen.

 

[ifindedout]

I hope each of her "friends" (and other witnesses) have been questioned separately. I fear that that opportunity may have been lost, that they have had time to coordinate and rehearse their responses to LE. MOO

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Maybe it's just because we're getting bits and pieces of the story, but it's not always the same.

Did she go to the restroom and her friends went to wait for her by the door, or did they all wonder where she went and actively search the boat?

Did they actually call police first, or did her family call first?

IMO it feels like they don't want to admit something, but it's hard to tell what. Is it just guilt that they didn't accompany her when she left the group, or not wanting to admit that they didn't really search much nor call police, or is it something more?

Currently I don't think her friends seem to know what happened to her. I just think some may be being a bit more honest about how she went missing, etc. than others. JMO.