NY NY - Sharmeen Smalls, 14, New York, Sept 8, 1991

[Murkywaters]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Sharmeen Smalls went missing from New York, NY on September 8, 1991.

 

[Murkywaters]

Demographics
Missing Age: 14 Years
Current Age: 43 Years
First Name: SHARMEEN
Last Name: SMALLS
Sex: Female
Height: 4' 11" (59 Inches)
Weigh:t 120 lbs
Race / Ethnicity: Black / African American

Circumstances
Date of Last Contact: September 8, 1991
NamUs Case Created: October 20, 2020
Last Known Location Map
Location: New York, New York
County: New York County
Missing From Tribal Land: No
Primary Residence on Tribal Land--
Circumstances of Disappearance: Missing

Physical Description
Hair Color: Blond/Strawberry
Left Eye Color: Brown
Right Eye Color: Brown

Distinctive Physical Features
Piercing: EARRING IN N0SE

Clothing and Accessories
Clothing: LSW BLACK SHIRT, RED PANTS, BLACK SNEAKER

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bump

 

[Aurora90]

Bump. Sounds like NYC decided to upload old Young black missing people from 1990s in namus a few months ago. I wonder why they waited so long. There's another one for someone called TANYA but it's marked as a black male with long strawberry blonde hair. I feel like one of these recent files will end up being LISK'S PEACHES

 

[madamx]

Are all of these connected? I wish I knew where in NYC each Jed went missing from . It’s odd there are 8.. I wonder if they are connected?

NY - NY - Ebony Turer, 12, New York, Feb 24, 1991

 

[Aurora90]

I

Are all of these connected? I wish I knew where in NYC each Jed went missing from . It’s odd there are 8.. I wonder if they are connected?

NY - NY - Ebony Turer, 12, New York, Feb 24, 1991

I FEEL THE EXACT SAME WAY. How can we bring attention to this?

 

[Aurora90]

I'm more than happy to call the NYPD, I already called them about my ideas on their FBI case on the Dorchester John Does.

But how can I bring press attention?!?

 

[Aurora90]

How can I find family of any of these girls or any newspaper articles? This is so so heartbreaking to a me as a black woman. You mean if I had a 13 year old daughter, and 7 kids of other black women went missing there would be no investigation? Up until a few months ago, there wasn't even a mention that they even went missing.

If we don't speak up for them, they can be erased. I have seen it happen before. What can someone do about this?

 

[Aurora90]

It looks like she has family in the Bronx?

 

[Aurora90]

How can I find family of any of these girls or any newspaper articles? This is so so heartbreaking to a me as a black woman. You mean if I had a 13 year old daughter, and 7 kids of other black women went missing there would be no investigation? Up until a few months ago, there wasn't even a mention that they even went missing.

If we don't speak up for them, they can be erased. I have seen it happen before. What can someone do about this?

Is there someone I could talk to about these cases?

 

[Aurora90]

This is websleuths, im surprised that there is little care about cases like these. I feel like people only care once it makes the news. Then people care. Its disheartening a black woman to see the lack of care even on here....

 

[Aurora90]

Bump... sad sad bump....

 

[MadMcGoo]

I was searching for something else and saw this article which led me to this thread. The messages were probably someone’s idea of a sick, sick joke. Her age is off but the date is pretty close.

The graffiti in a Harlem subway read: “On 9/14/91 I raped and killed a 9-year-old girl in Fort Tryon Park (Washeights).”

Daily News 21 Apr 2001, page 21 - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from Daily News dated 21 Apr 2001, page 21.

www.newspapers.com

 

[StarrChance]

Ancestry has a Sharmeen L Smalls born 29 July 1977 married to a Thomas Jones in 1997, living in PA and New York. Birthdate fits in with being 14 in 1991.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Ancestry has a Sharmeen L Smalls born 29 July 1977 married to a Thomas Jones in 1997, living in PA and New York. Birthdate fits in with being 14 in 1991.

I saw that. Surely she wouldn’t have been added to NamUs if she was known to be alive after 1991 though.

 

[StarrChance]

I saw that. Surely she wouldn’t have been added to NamUs if she was known to be alive after 1991 though.

I know, just frustrating that more details aren’t given to be sure!

 

[MadMcGoo]

I know, just frustrating that more details aren’t given to be sure!

Very frustrating! I spent some time looking for information on these young girls and I had no luck. I’m hoping to do a more in-depth search when I have time.

 

[JSolt1210]

I was searching for something else and saw this article which led me to this thread. The messages were probably someone’s idea of a sick, sick joke. Her age is off but the date is pretty close.
The graffiti in a Harlem subway read: “On 9/14/91 I raped and killed a 9-year-old girl in Fort Tryon Park (Washeights).”

Daily News 21 Apr 2001, page 21 - Newspapers.com

View the digital scanned newspaper from Daily News dated 21 Apr 2001, page 21.

www.newspapers.com

I hope this was just a hoax, but the graffiti could definitely fit Sharmeen's case.

If she was from the Bronx, like someone claimed above, the 145 St subway station provides a direct connection to the Bronx, and is in fact the earliest transfer point when commuting from Fort Tryon.

Fort Tryon Park wasn't the safest place in the 90s. Assaults, rapes, and murders were common. At some point, a 4-year-old girl was found stuffed in a cooler at a playground there, so the graffiti claim definitely fits the character of the time.

The person claims the girl was 9 years old when Sharmeen was 14, but (if he's telling the truth) maybe he just guessed the age?

What I don't understand is: if Sharmeen lived in the Bronx, was she kidnapped from there and taken to Fort Tryon by car? Seems risky to take her on the subway.

 

[fidgeypie]

Reading this thread and the lack of information is so sad. I'm wondering if she was in the Foster system and there was no one to advocate for her.