Found Deceased MT - Selina (Selena) Not Afraid, 16, I-90 rest area between Billings & Hardin, 1 Jan 2020

[Dave F.]

Big Horn County Attorney, Jay Harris, says he will use the investigative subpoena process under Montana law to get all materials from the Big Horn County Sheriff's Office. This could potentially lead to criminal charges if it's determined someone is involved in Selena's death. The attorney's office further states they will not call Selena's death as reflecting foul play or not foul play until all evidence is reviewed. They advise the Big Horn County Sheriff's Office to not make any public comments without consulting the county attorney. The Attorney's Office says no persons involved in Selena's disappearance this month have immunity from the state of Montana.
Selena Not Afraid's death being criminally investigated

The city of Hardin is literally just one footstep off of the Crow Reservation, and a significant portion of the reservation is in Big Horn County. Indian sovereignty is poorly defined at best under federal law, and the Crow tribe has traditionally been very aggressive in testing the limits of tribal self-government in the interface with other government jurisdictions. It's a confusing situation for anyone. The county attorney is using the state authority of his office, and the superior power of subpoena under Montana state law, to slice cleanly through layers of existing red tape. IMO

 

[MimosaMornings]

Why wouldn’t you have just parked the van if it was having that much trouble and waited for the relative that was following you? Or called for someone else in the family or the other passengers family to meet you at the rest stop?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Official reports of the 5,590 missing indigenous women in the U.S. fail to capture the pain of wondering who could be next to disappear, what really happened, and how many are truly missing. How will these parents go to sleep every night knowing their child is dead? march organizer Sarah Ambler asked.

We don’t just die. We don’t just disappear. If we’re late coming home, look for us, Isabella Yellowtail said to the crowd. She urged marchers to maintain their commitment to spreading awareness and to push for a system that will force searches for indigenous people to be conducted promptly and thoroughly.

Even if she’s the only one in her class wearing red or a ribbon skirt, she can tell people why, Yellowtail said. She can explain the injustice for families who may never get their answers or who shudder to think of what their child faced in their last moments.

She can tell people Native women are 10 times more likely to be murdered and more than twice as likely to be raped than a woman of another race.

They wear red because it’s the only color the spirits can see — it’s the color that will bring girls home, one marcher said, a red hand stained across her face as she coaxed sage smoke over her baby girl. Selena was beautiful, Yellowtail said.
https://thesheridanpress.com/118716/we-dont-just-die-march-for-selena/

 

[Zella]

Why wouldn’t you have just parked the van if it was having that much trouble and waited for the relative that was following you? Or called for someone else in the family or the other passengers family to meet you at the rest stop?

I've wondered that too.

 

[cvaldez1975]

I thought Websleuths was supposed to be "Victim Friendly".

Has there been ANY verification that Selena Not Afraid was impaired? Any Main Stream Media that has stated this as a fact?

i dnt really find it unfriendly, it was stated in MSM by witnesses. i am not judging the girl, i promise you my misbehaving behind was probably intoxicated on NY at 16 too. teenagers do foolish things.

 

[rkendmar]

Why wouldn’t you have just parked the van if it was having that much trouble and waited for the relative that was following you? Or called for someone else in the family or the other passengers family to meet you at the rest stop?

The reason that the driver and other adults in the van did not do any of the logical things you proposed may have been that they were all intoxicated, according to the Big Horn Sheriff's Office via the MSM.
MOO

 

[cvaldez1975]

The restrooms were closed for the winter and locked tight. but I think you are right that he just took off because he was afraid the van would die again. IMO

yes. they could have been popping a squat tho, especially if they were drinking and had "broken the seal".

 

[carbuff]

One thing that needs to happen, and is something anybody can do: have their DNA done and upload it to GEDmatch with an opt-in to law enforcement so the forensic genealogy detectives can find them and connect them to unknown victims who might be their relative. This is especially important for Native Americans who are drastically under-represented in genealogy databases, but really applies to everybody.

 

[cvaldez1975]

I've wondered that too.

fear of having the van towed, especially if it had old tags. maybe not having the money to ever get it back from impound.

 

[Seattle1]

Why wouldn’t you have just parked the van if it was having that much trouble and waited for the relative that was following you? Or called for someone else in the family or the other passengers family to meet you at the rest stop?

I don't think the van driver's mom could accommodate an additional six in her passenger vehicle (and the purpose of taking a van to Billings).

I believe the last mechanical stop was the rest stop before the van driver successfully delivered his passengers to Hardin. Van driver knew his mom was behind and they would never have been left stranded without warning. (Unless something's changed since I worked in MT, AAA or road service certainly not readily available). MOO

 

[CronesEye]

The city of Hardin is literally just one footstep off of the Crow Reservation, and a significant portion of the reservation is in Big Horn County. Indian sovereignty is poorly defined at best under federal law, and the Crow tribe has traditionally been very aggressive in testing the limits of tribal self-government in the interface with other government jurisdictions. It's a confusing situation for anyone. The county attorney is using the state authority of his office, and the superior power of subpoena under Montana state law, to slice cleanly through layers of existing red tape. IMO

Sovereignty and independence, I can understand that - my values too, but there is a time for collaboration. Progress, in crisis, requires dropping the status quo, letting go of it's comfort and working towards teamwork incrementally with belief and commitment that one will achieve the goal. What comes to mind is a statement I heard many years ago from a tribal friend - "We survive because we adapt". Just put those at risk women first, from then on out, the change they need will come. Collaboration for them.

 

[MimosaMornings]

How did Selena get to Billings? Was she dropped off? Sounds like she didn’t come back with whoever took her there?

 

[Seattle1]

i wonder if maybe they were using the restroom or at a distance and he thought it would peter out again so just took off but called family to retrieve the girls?

Van driver stated exactly that! He said that he needed to keep his foot on the accelerator once van restarted, and afraid the van would peter out again, he contacted his mother to collect the girls at the rest stop.

The Sheriff also reported that at one point investigators went back to search for Selena at two other locations where the van reportedly broke down prior to rest stop because Selena was said to have exited the van when it stopped.

MOO

 

[Seattle1]

As a quick PSA - Alcohol increases the risk of hypothermia (there are several papers about it, but this link describes the issue):
Hypothermia poses fatal risk for intoxicated people

Yes it does -- thanks for updating this page (info posted several pages back).

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

COD is Hypothermia.

Of course it is. Now arrest people for negligent homicide.

Selena Not Afraid died from hypothermia, autopsy shows

 

[Seattle1]

How did Selena get to Billings? Was she dropped off? Sounds like she didn’t come back with whoever took her there?

It's not been confirmed in MSM how Selena arrived in Billings.

Selena's aunt alleged that she was forced to return in the "white van" to Hardin on Weds afternoon (Jan 1). It's was not clear why she was believed forced to leave then. Perhaps Selena did not want to leave the party and this was the last ride to Hardin. I really don't know that Selena had many options to get home. Nobody's come forward to say otherwise that I'm aware of. MOO

 

[Seattle1]

COD is Hypothermia.

Of course it is. Now arrest people for negligent homicide.

Selena Not Afraid died from hypothermia, autopsy shows

Pursuant to an Oct 2019 task force requirement, this case is being pursued as both a missing person search and a criminal investigation.

The county attorney announced earlier that all evidence was being collected and requested the sheriff not comment about the ongoing investigation. (Sheriff stated earlier he didn't believe foul play involved).

MOO

 

[Steph8angels]

Sovereignty and independence, I can understand that - my values too, but there is a time for collaboration. Progress, in crisis, requires dropping the status quo, letting go of it's comfort and working towards teamwork incrementally with belief and commitment that one will achieve the goal. What comes to mind is a statement I heard many years ago from a tribal friend - "We survive because we adapt". Just put those at risk women first, from then on out, the change they need will come. Collaboration for them.

Welcome Croneseye
Glad your here

 

[CronesEye]

Welcome croneseye
Glad your here

I am grateful for the opportunity, Thank You Steph8angels

 

[Cascadia Mount]

I haven't seen anything about Selena's phone records. Was all her stuff left in the car.... seems unlikely for a teenager. Why didn't she call for help? Why didn't any of the adults in the car call someone to pick her up?