Taranika's Charley Project Profile, which can be viewed at http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/r/raymond_taranika.html:
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: November 13, 1995 from New Orleans, Louisiana
Classification: Endangered Runaway
Date of Birth: July 6, 1982
Age: 13 years old
Height and Weight: 5'3, 165 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: African-American female. Black hair, brown eyes. Taranika's hair was long at the time of her disappearance. Her ears are pierced and she has a dimple on the left side of her face.
Clothing/Jewelry Description: Gold apple earrings with "Tara" written on them, a gold apple ring with "Tara" written on it and a gold medallion ring with "Tara" and "Betty" written on it.
Details of Disappearance
Taranika was last seen at 10:00 p.m. on November 13, 1995 at her home in on north Derbigny Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. When her mother checked on her two hours later, she had disappeared. Authorities believe Taranika left of her own accord. She may still be in the New Orleans area. Her case remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
New Orleans Police Department
504-826-1265
Source Information
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
The Times-Picayune
NamUs
Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004.
Last updated November 5, 2010; clothing/jewelry description added, distinguishing characteristics updated.
This is another case that seems strange to me. The circumstances of her disappearance look like a typical abduction: parents leave home and leave their children alone, parents come home and find that their child is not home. But Taranika is listed as a runaway, and there's just so much about this case that we don't know about. I'm guessing they didn't find evidence of forced entry, since LE believes Taranika apparently left of her own accord. Taranika had a brother, who was seven at the time, and he became a victim of a homicide 10 years after her disappearance, but I doubt the two cases are connected. Her brother had been charged with homicide and Taranika was listed as surviving him. I can't find any reason as to why Taranika would run away, since she was apparently a straight-A student who was well behaved (I found that out in a CNN article), and she didn't come from a troubled home, according to family friends and family members who commented on Meaghan's blog. Her family does not suspect foul play took part in her disappearance; they think she is alive and they wish to locate her. I really hope she is alive too. She's been missing for almost 2 decades now.
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: November 13, 1995 from New Orleans, Louisiana
Classification: Endangered Runaway
Date of Birth: July 6, 1982
Age: 13 years old
Height and Weight: 5'3, 165 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: African-American female. Black hair, brown eyes. Taranika's hair was long at the time of her disappearance. Her ears are pierced and she has a dimple on the left side of her face.
Clothing/Jewelry Description: Gold apple earrings with "Tara" written on them, a gold apple ring with "Tara" written on it and a gold medallion ring with "Tara" and "Betty" written on it.
Details of Disappearance
Taranika was last seen at 10:00 p.m. on November 13, 1995 at her home in on north Derbigny Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. When her mother checked on her two hours later, she had disappeared. Authorities believe Taranika left of her own accord. She may still be in the New Orleans area. Her case remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
New Orleans Police Department
504-826-1265
Source Information
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
The Times-Picayune
NamUs
Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004.
Last updated November 5, 2010; clothing/jewelry description added, distinguishing characteristics updated.
This is another case that seems strange to me. The circumstances of her disappearance look like a typical abduction: parents leave home and leave their children alone, parents come home and find that their child is not home. But Taranika is listed as a runaway, and there's just so much about this case that we don't know about. I'm guessing they didn't find evidence of forced entry, since LE believes Taranika apparently left of her own accord. Taranika had a brother, who was seven at the time, and he became a victim of a homicide 10 years after her disappearance, but I doubt the two cases are connected. Her brother had been charged with homicide and Taranika was listed as surviving him. I can't find any reason as to why Taranika would run away, since she was apparently a straight-A student who was well behaved (I found that out in a CNN article), and she didn't come from a troubled home, according to family friends and family members who commented on Meaghan's blog. Her family does not suspect foul play took part in her disappearance; they think she is alive and they wish to locate her. I really hope she is alive too. She's been missing for almost 2 decades now.
