FL FL - Adji Desir, 6, Immokalee, 10 Jan 2009 - #2

[Salem]

My email to Mr. Sharpton and Co., otherwise known as NAN:

Taken from National Action Network's Webpage: "Since Reverend Sharpton founded NAN in 1991, NAN has served as a megaphone for the voiceless and an advocate for those in need. NAN has taken on issues relating to voter registration, education, decency and police misconduct."

In the spirit of NAN's statement, I am writing to ask for Mr. Sharpton's help on behalf of two small children of color.

Adji Desir is a 6-year old boy, with some learning/communicating disabilities. He disappeared from the front yard of his family's home in Immokalee, Florida on January 10, 2009. You can read more about Adji here: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/adjidesir/

Adji's family is Hatian and they live in what is called a "Farmworker's Village." I believe the Law Enforcement Agency with jurisdiction is doing all they can to find Adji, but they need help. There are few leads coming in and members of the community appear to be afraid to talk to authorities, maybe because of immigration issues, I don't know. But Adji's family could use a megaphone. Specifically a megaphone that could raise media awareness of Adji's plight and get his name and face back in the news. They could also use a megaphone that would act as an intermediary with the local law enforcement agency and the community. Someone the community could feel safe talking too.

The second child I am requesting assistance for is Mya Lyons. This website has a chronology of events and media reports in the brutal death of this precious child. http://www.fox4now.com/global/story.asp?s=10095893

Chicago police have allowed this case to go cold. Mya's father was cooperative with Law Enforcement and continued to be cooperative even after he hired a lawyer to assist him in dealing with investigators. However, there has been no progress in this case in months. It does not appear as if anything is happening at all.

Mya needs a megaphone that can demand answers and motivate the Chicago Police Department to solve this case and bring Mya justice. Mya was a beautiful 9 year old child that deserved to have the rest of her life. She does not deserve to be forgotten.

I am respectfully asking NAN to be a megaphone for these two beautiful children, to help find one and bring justice to the other. I appreciate your time and attention to these matters and hope that your organization will be a VOICE for these children, who desperately need a megaphone.
If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to email me.

Thank you,

I hope I didn't misspell anything and I hope no one minds that I included Mya in my request. I think of her often and believe she deserves justice.

Salem

 

[Salem]

Gracenote - I am taking the liberty of copying your posts for Al Sharpton and the NAACP email/address contacts and posting them in Mya Lyons thread. Hope that is okay with you. I have not sent emails to NAACP as of yet, but I will soon.

Salem

 

[Gracenote]

Gracenote - I am taking the liberty of copying your posts for Al Sharpton and the NAACP email/address contacts and posting them in Mya Lyons thread. Hope that is okay with you. I have not sent emails to NAACP as of yet, but I will soon.

Salem

Beautiful letter to NAN! Good grief, I am in awe. And I have not even seen Mya's thread, I will check it out today.

You might consider Jessie Jackson Jr. (congressman, IL) for her case. His web site has a pretty good contact page. I called his office last year after I saw him speak on tv and I explained that even though I am conservative ind., not a dem., living in another state, etc., I was extrememly impressed with the man. They said they get a lot of support for him from other states and parties.

I'm not getting into politics really, just saying that you might want to email him. Which makes me think of emailing the state reps for Fl. I'll do that today. Someone should make missing children their priority, even though they are powerless and don't yet vote or pay taxes.

 

[snowme]

Was checking to see if any new news articles had been published for Adji. Found one! http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/apr/04/three-months-later-question-remains-what-happened-/

I think this is one of the papers we contacted, no?

 

[snowme]

:hug: (((Gracenote))): excellent idea for contacting the Collier Co. Sheriff's Office to thank them! Probably something all LE offices could do with a bit more of and regulary.. pats on the back.

I second what (((Salem))) said (bless you both!)

(((((Gracenote))))) You do such an awesome job for Adji. His family would be so grateful and we are all so proud of you. I know sometimes it gets discouraging, especially when you read the stories of other children that have come to such evil harm. But there really are many more good people, with good hearts, such as yourself in this world then there are evil POSs. Evil may win a few battles, but it will never win the war.

Prayers for Adji, may he come home soon.

Salem

Salem: that was a perfect letter to Sharpton/NAN!

Idaho4Groenes: thanks for the heads-up about the media contacts list at that site. I'll be checking to see if there are more emails to utilize.

Thanks too for the new pic of Adji. I also hadn't seen that one before.

Oh, and again to Gracenote: You have a valid point

I'm not getting into politics really, just saying that you might want to email him. Which makes me think of emailing the state reps for Fl. I'll do that today. Someone should make missing children their priority, even though they are powerless and don't yet vote or pay taxes.

If these children, and all children, are not given priority they will remain powerless and will never vote or pay taxes! ;-) The seeming "lip service" that politicians sometimes gives to issues regarding children often leaves me thinking they don't realize that the future comes faster than water can flow thru our fingers.

 

[Salem]

Was checking to see if any new news articles had been published for Adji. Found one! http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/apr/04/three-months-later-question-remains-what-happened-/

I think this is one of the papers we contacted, no?

Snowme - thank you for the article link! It was a GREAT story. I immediately sent off a thank you to the writer - she did a great job. Wording of my note probably could have been better - but I wanted to respond right away. Here's what I said:

"Elysa - I just want to thank you for the story on Adji. It is so important to keep his name and face in the media so everyone will continue to look for him.

I appreciate the depth of your story talking about the investigation, lack of leads, the pain of Adji's family. Wonderful job!

Please pass my appreciation along to your editor and thank him/her for me for allowing Adji's story to be published.

Sincerely,"

Salem

 

[Gracenote]

Another thought. We have a large sporting event here this week that brings people from all over the world (something I do not understand, but to each his own). I think I will print out some posters tonight and take them to the welcome centers on the expressway and around town. The odds of someone knowing Adji are low, but maybe it will increase awareness about missing children in general. At least I feel like I am doing something. I even have some card stock to use to print it on.

 

[Gracenote]

Was checking to see if any new news articles had been published for Adji. Found one! http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/apr/04/three-months-later-question-remains-what-happened-/

I think this is one of the papers we contacted, no?

Yes, it was! Ya'll did a good job. Thank you for posting this; this is a great article. I wonder if I sent an email to the author if she could pass it on to Adji's mother? I would like her to know that people all over the country are praying for them and working as hard as we know how to bring Adji home.

It sounds like their whole community is still trying. That's a very good thing.

 

[raindrops300]

Salem,
When I click on the link with Mya Lyons it goes to an article about Adji. Thought you might want to know, or it just may be me.

 

[Salem]

Salem,
When I click on the link with Mya Lyons it goes to an article about Adji. Thought you might want to know, or it just may be me.

Raindrop - THANK YOU for letting me know! I am horrified I will fix this and send a new email. Oh dear - it pays to remember that patience is a virture and you MUST slow down to make sure you get things right. AHHH! Okay off for the RIGHT link.

Salem

 

[lizzybeth]

Gracenote, I'm sorry I didn't respond sooner. I've been out of town. Here's a (((((hug)))) for you. I know exactly how you feel, and yes, I do remember Christopher. There were times when I wanted to hear an update once he was found, but it was just too painful to read.

I pray that nothing like this has happened to Adji. I haven't given up hope that he is somewhere alive. I keep reminding myself of Shasta Groene. She might not have been safe at the time but she was rescued and back with her family.

 

[patches38]

Was checking to see if any new news articles had been published for Adji. Found one! http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/apr/04/three-months-later-question-remains-what-happened-/

I think this is one of the papers we contacted, no?

I sent a thank you note to Ms. Batista. Hopefully we will have more people to thank shortly! Prayers for Adji.

 

[Salem]

Email to NAACP at [email protected] <[email protected]>:

I'm writing to request your assistance in the matters of Mya Lyons and Adji Desir. Mya and Adji are in need of advocates that can help to keep their names in the news and, in Mya's case, put pressure on Chicago Law Enforcement to continue to investigate her brutal murder.

Adji Desir is a 6-year old boy, with some learning/communicating disabilities. He disappeared from the front yard of his family's home in Immokalee, Florida on January 10, 2009. You can read more about Adji here: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/adjidesir/

Adji's family is Hatian and they live in what is called a "Farmworker's Village." I believe the Law Enforcement Agency with jurisdiction is doing all they can to find Adji, but they need help. There are few leads coming in and members of the community appear to be afraid to talk to authorities, maybe because of immigration issues, I don't know. But Adji's family could use a strong advocate that will help them with media needs and interacting effectively with volunteer search groups. An advocate that could raise media awareness of Adji's plight and get his name and face back in the news and act as a spokesperson for Adji's family should they wish to have a spokesperson. An advocate that could act as an intermediary with the local law enforcement agency and the community. Someone the community could feel safe talking too.

I'm hoping you will take the time to forward this email to the appropriate department in your organization and that one of your members will feel moved to become Adji's advocate.

The second child I am requesting assistance for is Mya Lyons. This website has a chronology of events and media reports in the brutal death of this precious child: http://kathmanduk2.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/the-unsolved-murder-of-little-mya-lyons/

Chicago police have allowed this case to go cold. Mya's father was cooperative with Law Enforcement and continued to be cooperative even after he hired a lawyer to assist him in dealing with investigators. However, there has been no progress in this case in months. It does not appear as if anything is happening at all.

Mya needs a strong advocate that can demand answers and motivate the Chicago Police Department to solve this case and bring Mya justice. Mya was a beautiful 9 year old child that deserved to have the rest of her life. She does not deserve to be forgotten.

I am respectfully asking that you pass this information on to the appropriate department in your organization and praying that one of your members will feel moved to be Mya's advocate.

Please help these two beautiful children. Help bring Adji home and help bring justice to Maya.

I appreciate your time and attention to these matters and hope that your organization will be a VOICE for these children, who desperately need strong and sophicated advocates.

If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to email me.

Thank you,

Salem

Quoting myself here - this is the email to NAACP. Hopefully all links are right!

Salem

 

[Gracenote]

Beautiful letter!

 

[Kat]

Prayers for Adji today. I am thinking of you Adji.

 

[Salem]

I'm adding my prayers to yours Kat. May Adji come home soon.

Salem

 

[Gracenote]

I just read that 8 year old Sandra Cantu has been found deceased. Prayers for her family.

Don't worry, Adji. We here will not forget you, and when you are found we will rejoice or we will grieve but we will always remember your little face. You matter to us. Someday we will meet in a much better world, and all of us here can speak to you face to face at last.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Adji's case is so similar to Sandra's. They were both last seen playing with friends, and then just disappeared. Yet Sandra's case has received so much more coverage. I still believe that the police and community have done a great job for Adji, but it makes it very hard when the media are not as interested.

Praying that Adji's case has a different outcome than Sandra's.

 

[Gracenote]

Adji's case is so similar to Sandra's. They were both last seen playing with friends, and then just disappeared. Yet Sandra's case has received so much more coverage. I still believe that the police and community have done a great job for Adji, but it makes it very hard when the media are not as interested.

Praying that Adji's case has a different outcome than Sandra's.

Today on AOL they had an item about missing children that went all the way back to Adam Walsh...no mention of Adji. Even here he only stays on the first page because of a handful of us who make a point of keeping him there. There is virtually no interest in him compared to other kids. I don't know that it would make much difference. On the other hand, the farmer who found the container that poor Sandra was in could have thrown it out as trash but he must have known through the media that she was missing. (That whole outcome is so tragic and horrifying. I don't know how her mother will survive this. I don't know that I could)

Will Adji's remains be found some day and thrown aside as trash because no one knows he exists? This experience has really opened my eyes to the way missing children are treated by the media and I don't like it at all.

 

[Gracenote]

I just did a search on youtube and found the videos of the initial searches and the stories. Clearly the Sheriff's Office there did a fantastic job; they said the goal was to reach every single person in the town and give them a flyer. It is interesting stuff if you haven't yet seen it.

..