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

[AmandaReckonwith]

KatzEye, I did read that one. The Pitmans are well respected as they should be. I understand, and I think any parent would pull any strings they could
to save their child from harm (I would), and hopefully Diandra will stay on track now. I'm sure she feels bad for her part in this.

What everyone would like to see is the truth about why Selena was left there, and the super short clip we saw from that ride clearly shows a man and Selena
having "words". Should they arrest him/them? Idk. Her family thinks so.

 

[katydid23]

KatzEye, I did read that one. The Pitmans are well respected as they should be. I understand, and I think any parent would pull any strings they could
to save their child from harm (I would), and hopefully Diandra will stay on track now. I'm sure she feels bad for her part in this.

What everyone would like to see is the truth about why Selena was left there, and the super short clip we saw from that ride clearly shows a man and Selena
having "words". Should they arrest him/them? Idk. Her family thinks so.

It doesn't seem to me that Diandra is the Guilty Party here. Diandra did not dump a drunk teen out of their car at a deserted rest stop in the middle of the night and drive away. The Guilty parties are the ones who left her there. IMO

Diandra is a 20 yr old who invited a bunch of friends to a Holiday party, drank too much and passed out. I think many of us have done things like that at age 20...

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Yes, but Selena was just 16. I'd agree if she were 18-19.

 

[CastlesBurning]

Montana legislators to discuss Senate Bill 4, extending MMIP Task Force

 

[Seattle1]

Montana legislators to discuss Senate Bill 4, extending MMIP Task Force

From the link, The Judiciary Committee is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. on Jan. 7. You can watch that meeting by clicking here.

The Billings office (MMIP) was only opened in August 2020 -- let's hope the residents and lawmakers respond accordingly!

Why does it always feel like one step forward, two steps backward?

Federal MMIP cold case office opens in Billings

Aug 6, 2020

A federal office meant to solve cold cases in Indian Country opened Thursday in Billings, one of seven across the nation meant to address missing and murdered Indigenous people.

The cold case office is the third to open under the Operation Lady Justice Task Force, a federal MMIP task force that was created by President Donald Trump in November 2019 to address the disproportionately high rates of missing Indigenous people.

Cold case offices opened in Minnesota and Rapid City, South Dakota; and four more will be established in New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Tennessee.

The office in Billings will be staffed by newly appointed special agents with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, along with the FBI and tribal law enforcement agencies.

 

[mickey2942]

This case illustrates exactly the problem with Missing Native Women...that no one wants to say...the problems are on the rez.

Selena Not Afraid was with people from her own tribe, who left her alone in the middle of no where.

 

[Seattle1]

This case illustrates exactly the problem with Missing Native Women...that no one wants to say...the problems are on the rez.

Selena Not Afraid was with people from her own tribe, who left her alone in the middle of no where.

They left two vulnerable women alone out in the middle of nowhere.

 

[katydid23]

Yes, but Selena was just 16. I'd agree if she were 18-19.

True....but 16 yr olds party. They shouldn't, but they do. I can't really blame her 19 yr old friend for what happened to Selena when she was with a car full of adults, that were supposedly family friends.

 

[sans_soleil]

True....but 16 yr olds party. They shouldn't, but they do. I can't really blame her 19 yr old friend for what happened to Selena when she was with a car full of adults, that were supposedly family friends.

exactly. a general point: 16 year olds party, they get drunk. Sometimes parents are too strict so they sneak out. Sometimes kids overcompensate once they turn 18 / are free from parental monitoring and get themselves in trouble. Raising children is a huge responsibility and I don't think there's a parent in the world who has done everything right. There is not a child in the world who hasn't done anything irresponsible ever. Sometimes we read these cases and we have a tendency to overanalyze parenting, what could have been done differently and I get it. However, the reality we need to face is that there is a huge number of factors at play. One small gesture can sometimes prevent a tragedy, one can lead it to happen (but living life focusing on everything that could go wrong causes chronic anxiety, I know bc I suffer from anxiety). I am grateful my mother just talked to me a lot and she was amazing, nurturing, she educated me, she wasn't afraid of answering any questions....and I still did some stupid things.

 

[CastlesBurning]

Justice Department Working with Tribes on Missing-Person Cases

 

[CastlesBurning]

A look at the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women featured in Dateline NBC’s Missing in America and Cold Case Spotlight

Selena Not Afraid, a 16-year-old member of two Indian nations, the Crow and Nakota, was last seen on New Year’s Day 2020 at the I-90 rest stop between Billings and Hardin, Montana.

According to Big Horn County Sheriff’s officials, Selena was among six people driving from Billings to Hardin when their car broke down. It eventually started again and four people left, leaving Selena and a friend at the rest stop. The driver of the vehicle called a relative to pick up the two girls left behind. When the relative arrived, the friend was still there, but Selena was not. The friend told detectives that Selena had walked off into a nearby field. Family members were worried because they said this wasn’t like her and she was insufficiently dressed for the temperature that had dipped below freezing.

For 13 days, Selena’s family, friends, members of various tribes and the general public, camped out at the same rest area in an effort to find clues in the teen’s disappearance - and to make a statement about not giving up.

On January 20, 2020, Selena’s body was found about a mile from the rest stop where she was last seen, authorities said.

In December 2020, an investigation into her death concluded that Selena died as a result of hypothermia. The death was ruled accidental.

Selena’s aunt, Cheryl Horn, told Dateline in a January 2020 interview that she would continue to be a voice for missing and murdered Native American women, even after Selena was found.

"A large percentage of these missing girls are Indigenous," Cheryl said. "But this is not just an Indigenous problem. This is a human problem. And right now, I have a voice. You have a voice. Those who are missing do not have a voice, and we need to be that voice for them."

The Montana Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Selena’s death. If you have information that can help, please call 406-444-3874.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Selena Not Afraid: The 16-year-old, who’s a member of the Crow and Nakota Indian nations, was last seen on New Year’s Day in 2020 at a rest stop in Montana. She was in a car with a group of people, but the car broke down. Not Afraid was left behind and she was eventually reported missing. Her body was found days later, and officials ruled her death accidental – saying she died of hypothermia. But almost a year later, they are still investigating the circumstances of her death.

 

[mickey2942]

Selena Not Afraid: The 16-year-old, who’s a member of the Crow and Nakota Indian nations, was last seen on New Year’s Day in 2020 at a rest stop in Montana. She was in a car with a group of people, but the car broke down. Not Afraid was left behind and she was eventually reported missing. Her body was found days later, and officials ruled her death accidental – saying she died of hypothermia. But almost a year later, they are still investigating the circumstances of her death.

<modsnip - referenced link was removed >

If the Indigenous people want a spotlight on missing women, let's do it. And start with domestic violence <modsnip - referenced article was removed>

Domestic violence is the number one cause of death for women in the United States. And the problem with the statistics on domestic violence on reservations is that it is grossly under reported, and often, treated as a "family issue" rather than a criminal situation. The other problem is the correlation between missing women and substance abuse. Another issue that Indigenous people do not want to discuss.

IMHO

<modsnip - referenced link was removed>

 

[Laughing]

Agree, Selina was a minor -- legally a child -- in the physical custody of adults.

Those adults can be considered responsible for Ms. Not Afraid's death.

Both situations are tragic.

IMHO, the families of missing & murdered persons could follow the example of Gabby's family in many ways.

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[mickey2942]

Interesting point @Laughing. Selena Not Afraid was a child.

Apparently, charges have been filed, against Diandra Pittman.
Investigation ongoing into Selena Not Afraid's death one year later

One thing that has been glaringly missing in the articles about Selena Not Afraid, has been the toxicology results...

https://www.krtv.com/news/montana-and-regional-news/autopsy-reveals-not-afraids-cause-of-death

"The report supports the findings of the preliminary autopsy report released just days after Not Afraid’s body was found on January 20th.

The press release does not contain toxicology information, details the investigators say they need in this case.".

I have searched for the toxicology reports, unable to find them. Since when does an investigation into a death, not include toxicology reports?

 

[Laughing]

Possibly because of the ongoing investigation? DA/Prosecutor wants to keep this for trial?

Someone with some power wants the information withheld?

The minor child's death is indeed a tragedy, but very different from the GP tragedy IMHO.

From the article linked:

On Dec. 23, the attorney's office charged 20-year-old Diandra Pitman with endangering the welfare of children.

Court documents state Pitman invited Selena to a house party on Dec. 31, 2019 with the intended purpose of drinking alcohol.

Investigation ongoing into Selena Not Afraid's death one year later


intended purpose of drinking alcohol

 

[Seattle1]

Interesting point @Laughing. Selena Not Afraid was a child.

Apparently, charges have been filed, against Diandra Pittman.
Investigation ongoing into Selena Not Afraid's death one year later

One thing that has been glaringly missing in the articles about Selena Not Afraid, has been the toxicology results...

https://www.krtv.com/news/montana-and-regional-news/autopsy-reveals-not-afraids-cause-of-death

"The report supports the findings of the preliminary autopsy report released just days after Not Afraid’s body was found on January 20th.

The press release does not contain toxicology information, details the investigators say they need in this case.".

I have searched for the toxicology reports, unable to find them. Since when does an investigation into a death, not include toxicology reports?

From the link:

The state medical examiner's office has officially ruled the cause of her death as hypothermia, and the manner of death has been deemed accidental.

Even without the toxicology results released-- both the cause & manner of death were determined. We know that initial reports were that Selina and the occupants of the vehicle were all intoxicated. I trust that narcotics did not cause her death or evidence of homicidal violence on her body. MOO

 

[Kano]

there's a huge lack of understanding about what life is in these areas.. Selenas family had lost multiple children, Selena had experienced the loss of 2 sisters (one a twin) and her brother. I wouldnt compare what this family has gone through in loss with other popular stories within the media.

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Selena's Aunt Cheryl Horn posted that they had gotten the autopsy results a couple weeks ago.
She did not elaborate.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

WATCH: Full coverage on the 2 year anniversary of the death of Selena Not Afraid