In the Aftermath of Jahmeshia's Death, City Searches for Answers

By Anthonia Akitunde in News on Dec 13, 2009 7:30PM

Jahmeshia Conner, a 12-year-old girl found raped and murdered in an Englewood alley two weeks after she had been reported missing, was put to rest Saturday, the Sun-Times reports.

About 1,000 mourners gathered at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church for the closed-casket funeral. Jahmeshia was remembered by her pastor, friends, teacher and family for being a "good girl and good student who had just made the cheerleading squad at O’Toole Elementary School," the report said.

Yet In the wake of her grisly death, a community is urged to provide answers and the city's police department recognizes it needs to change.

"The city will not treat missing children the same way again," U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush said at the funeral. "This city will not dismiss our missing children anymore."

According to a national missing-children's organization, the Chicago police characterized Jahmeshia in a way that made them think she was a runaway instead of missing, the report said.. They also did not send the media a missing child bulletin on the girl. Now police will send "more frequent notices about missing children so they will not be dismissed as 'runaways,'" the report said.

Police Superintendent Jody Weis and Mayor Daley called on the community to provide tips that would bring Jahmeshia's murderer to justice. Police have not yet received any tips on the murder, Weis said at the Illinois Institute of Technology on Saturday. Community organizers, including Rush, have raised $20,000 for any information leading to the killer.

[Sun-Times]